Families who spend 90 minutes commuting reduce their desire to have an additional child by 20%.

The Minister of Family, Sanaa bint Mohammed Suhail, confirmed that urban studies in Europe and East Asia have shown that families who spend more than 90 minutes a day on the move decrease their desire to have an additional child by up to 20%, which confirms that a successful transportation project is not limited to speed of movement, but rather to regaining time for the family.

She said during her speech at the Dubai International Project Management Forum that infrastructure projects are reshaping patterns of daily life and that forming families is a possible and sustainable option, and that the forum’s slogan (Convergence of Communities) directly intersects with the vision of the wise leadership and the directions of the Ministry of Family, as infrastructure is seen as a comprehensive development tool that puts people at the heart of planning, and contributes to building more cohesive and sustainable societies.

She added: “OECD studies indicate that improving access to transportation and basic services is associated with an increase in the family satisfaction and social cohesion index by between 20 and 30% in major cities, which means that when we improve planning, we reduce pressure and give the family a better time and quality of life.”

She continued: “UNICEF and World Health Organization reports confirm that providing safe and prepared spaces for children is associated with a 25% improvement in social and emotional development, especially in the early years, including the early toddler stage. This confirms that a city designed for children is a city designed for the family and society.”

She indicated that the World Bank report showed that applying comprehensive design principles in cities leads to an increase in the participation of senior citizens in community life by more than 40%.