During its meeting chaired by Maryam bint Mohammed bin Zayed, the Social Sector Committee discusses efforts to enhance community reassurance and initiatives for the Year of the Family.

Abu Dhabi, March 12 / WAM / The Social Sector Committee of the Education, Human Development and Society Council held a meeting chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Maryam bint Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the Council.

The committee discussed the efforts of social agencies in the country to enhance societal reassurance and support families and community members, in addition to reviewing the national initiatives related to the “Year of the Family 2026,” which are based on a humanitarian approach that reflects societal values ​​and places the human being and the family at the heart of these efforts, and contributes to achieving national priorities, foremost of which is launching policies that support family growth and stability, and enhance the role of the family as the basic pillar of community cohesion and the sustainability of its development.

During the meeting, the Committee stressed the importance of strengthening the interconnectedness between members of society, and the role of entities and institutions in providing various forms of social and moral support, in a way that enhances the spirit of social responsibility and enshrines the human values ​​on which the UAE society is based, and contributes to consolidating the culture of solidarity and interdependence among various groups, especially in times that require more cooperation and concerted efforts, which reflects the cohesion and cohesion that characterizes the UAE society between its institutions and individuals.

The meeting was attended by Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Community Empowerment, Her Excellency Sana bint Mohammed Suhail, Minister of Family, Her Excellency Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, Her Excellency Hajar Ahmed Al Dhahli, Secretary General of the Education, Human Development and Community Council, Her Excellency Shams Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Head of the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi, and Her Excellency Maryam Majid Al Shamsi, Head of the Department of Social Services – Sharjah.

For her part, Her Excellency Sanaa bint Mohammed Suhail, Minister of the Family, reviewed the most prominent developments in activating the comprehensive national plan for the “Year of the Family,” which comes under the slogan “Growth and Belonging,” and the main axes it includes that are based on strengthening family and community cohesion, enhancing community awareness of family issues, and developing legislation, policies, and benefits that support family stability, which constitutes a comprehensive national framework for family-related initiatives and programs, and enhances the unification of national efforts and coordination among concerned parties.

It addressed the initiatives directed at supporting those about to get married within the UAE Family Growth Strategy 2031 scheduled to be launched this year, and the policies being worked on within this framework, including reviewing family-related human resources policies, developing policies and benefits that support family formation and growth, developing family rehabilitation programs for those about to get married and families in their early stages, in addition to expanding the scope of family-friendly work environments.

Her Excellency also reviewed the efforts aimed at promoting family values, consolidating the role of the family in raising children, and building a cohesive society within the Year of the Family initiatives, including the formation of the Children’s Digital Safety Council and developing policies related to the use of social media platforms, which in turn supports family stability, growth, and sustainability.

In turn, Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Community Empowerment, reviewed the Ministry’s efforts within the Year of the Family 2026, which focuses on enhancing the role of public benefit institutions in supporting family-related initiatives, in addition to developing community programs and initiatives that contribute to strengthening family cohesion and consolidating societal values ​​among family members.

It discussed a number of community initiatives aimed at expanding families’ participation in community activities and encouraging volunteer work, in addition to initiatives that enhance the community’s role in supporting the family and consolidating the values ​​of social responsibility.

His Excellency Shams Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi, for his part, reviewed the emirate’s efforts in promoting community initiatives and programs that contribute to supporting families and enhancing community reassurance at this stage, in addition to developments in the social sector’s readiness to respond to community needs.

The presentation discussed the field and proactive measures that were implemented, which included direct communication to check on the conditions of a number of the most needy groups, follow up on existing cases, and provide some therapeutic and evaluation services via virtual channels, in addition to supporting the elderly, low-income people, people of determination, workers, and volunteers, in a way that ensures continuity of services and enhances the speed of community response to various needs.

His Excellency also reviewed the programs and initiatives of the Family Growth Agenda in Abu Dhabi within the Year of the Family, which focuses on family formation, growth and stability, enhancing its cohesion and empowering its various groups.

He discussed the latest developments in the “Madeem” initiative to support family formation and encourage marriage, in addition to the unified digital platform for wedding services, and the “Ghars” parental license program to qualify parents, in addition to initiatives such as “Our Barakat” for senior citizens and Nabd community centers that contribute to enhancing the quality of life and community cohesion.

In turn, Her Excellency Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, reviewed the community efforts implemented by the emirate during the current phase in support of families and various societal groups, which included direct communication to check on the conditions of people of determination, foster families, senior citizens and the most needy cases, and following up on a number of protection cases, in addition to launching awareness bulletins through social media channels about dealing with crises and family anxiety, and implementing field visits to reassure and provide support, which reflects the readiness of The social system and its continuity in responding to the needs of society.

She discussed the developments of the Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum Family Program and the most important initiatives of the Year of the Family in Dubai, noting that the program achieved positive results represented by an increase in the number of marriage contracts and the rate of weddings, and the benefit of thousands of programs for awareness, guidance and financial education for the family, in addition to a noticeable decrease in the divorce rate among citizens.

She touched on the next phase of the program, with a focus on supporting citizens in the stages of establishing, building, and expanding families, through initiatives and legislation that support awareness and encouragement of marriage, health and reproductive support, a work environment that supports the family, and enhancing family awareness, which contributes to enhancing family stability and quality of life.

For her part, Her Excellency Maryam Majid Al Shamsi, Head of the Department of Social Services in Sharjah, reviewed the authority’s efforts to support the community during the current period, in addition to the emirate’s most prominent initiatives within the Year of the Family, which are consistent with the national trend aimed at strengthening family ties and empowering the family through strategic programs that contribute to achieving family stability and creating a sustainable social impact.

The presentation I made during the meeting focused on an integrated package of community initiatives that enhance intergenerational cohesion, empower the elderly in transmitting Emirati values ​​and heritage, and strengthen family and community cohesion, in addition to supporting the family socially, economically, and health-wise.

The presentation included examples of the initiatives being launched within the Year of the Family, including initiatives concerned with enhancing communication between generations and transmitting authentic values ​​and customs, initiatives to revive the spirit of neighborliness and enhance family and community rapprochement, in addition to initiatives supporting family stability and quality of life in the areas of housing and economic empowerment of families, as well as initiatives to enhance health and social care and raise families’ readiness to deal with various challenges.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the committee stressed the importance of continuing coordination and integration between the relevant authorities in the social sector, benefiting from successful practices in each emirate, and continuing to develop initiatives and policies that support the family, which contributes to enhancing the stability of the Emirati family and consolidating its pivotal role as the basis for community cohesion, sustainability and development.

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