Her Excellency Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, affirmed that strategic partnerships represent one of the fundamental pillars for developing the social sector and enhancing its capacity to achieve a sustainable impact on the path of comprehensive development. She noted that the Authority celebrated 54 strategic partners from government bodies, the private sector, and public benefit institutions, in a model that reflects the integration of roles and the unification of efforts to achieve a developmental impact that directly improves the quality of life of community members.
Speaking at a ceremony honouring strategic partners of the Dubai Empowerment Programme organised by the Authority at Nad Al Sheba Council, under the theme "Our Partners for Sustainable Community Impact", Her Excellency said that what unites these entities is a single goal: the success of Dubai. She affirmed that the gathering is an occasion to celebrate the value of partnership and the impact it creates when it transcends the boundaries of institutional cooperation to become a driving force for development and a genuine means of elevating society.
Her Excellency explained that, in line with the targets of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 and within the framework of the "Dubai Actions" approach launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the State, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, the Authority continues to develop more integrated and innovative models of cooperation with its strategic partners. This contributes to broadening the scope of community impact, enhancing opportunities for empowerment, integration, and social cohesion, and supports Dubai's standing as a leading global model in social development and quality of life.
She affirmed that the partnerships have contributed to enhancing the social and economic empowerment of various segments of society, foremost among them supporting the financial independence of the emirate's citizens. The Dubai Empowerment Programme has helped achieve economic independence for 5,122 citizens by providing 7,600 job opportunities in cooperation with more than 400 entities.
She added that the "Dubai Weddings" programme has contributed, in less than two years, to establishing 1,200 new Emirati families, noting that the initiative's impact is not limited to organising weddings but extends to strengthening family stability and continuity. These marriages have resulted in the birth of 362 new children, and the initiative has recorded a satisfaction rate of 95% among beneficiary couples.
Her Excellency Hessa Buhumaid affirmed that building a culture of children's rights is a priority in community work, pointing to qualitative initiatives such as the "Child Rights Club" initiative, which aims to raise awareness of children's rights and enhance youth participation in community service through training programmes and specialised activities that contribute to preparing a more aware and responsible generation.
She said the Authority is determined to expand the scope of strategic partnerships, continuously measure their impact, monitor empowerment and employment indicators, and evaluate the outcomes of community and family initiatives, ensuring their development in line with community needs and future development targets.
The honouring ceremony covered 4 main categories reflecting the diversity of areas of cooperation and partnership. The "Community Development" partners category included a number of government entities, among them the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, Dubai Municipality, the Ministry of Community Empowerment, Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, Dubai Courts, Dubai Police General Command, the Department of Finance, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai, Dubai Academic Health Corporation, the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation, the Public Prosecution, and the Dubai Health Authority.
The "Community Impact" category included: the Dubai Government Human Resources Department – UAE Human Resources Development Council, the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, Ewaa Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Farjan Dubai, Dubai Holding Group, the Department of Land and Property, Dubai Media Incorporated, Dubai Customs, the Ministry of Family, Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, the Ministry of Interior – Fazaa, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
In the "Knowledge and Capacity Building" partners category, the honouring included educational, health, and institutional entities, among them: Sage Clinics, Dubai Civil Defence, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai Center for Autism, the University of Sharjah, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, the Ministry of Education, the Supreme Legislation Committee, Emirates Islamic Bank, the British University in Dubai, the University of Birmingham Dubai, and Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government.
The "Innovation and Digital Transformation" partners category included: the General Pension and Social Security Authority, Dubai Airports Corporation, Maseer Initiatives, the UAE Electric Vehicle Charging Company (UAEV), Netways, Help AG, Huawei, the Dubai Digital Authority, Dubai Hub Centre, and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
Abdulaziz Hareb Al Falahi, General Supervisor of Employment Operations at the UAE Human Resources Development Council, said that the partnership with the Community Development Authority represents a practical model of Dubai's approach to integrating roles among government entities, achieving results that are reflected in family and professional stability. He affirmed that neighbourhood councils have been transformed, thanks to these partnerships, into active community platforms that open their doors to job seekers and employing entities, having hosted 97 open employment days resulting in 11,000 job opportunities being offered and benefiting 13,000 male and female job seekers.
For her part, Tala Khalat, Director of Charitable Work at Dubai Holding, said that the "Heba fi Mahalha" (Gift in Its Place) initiative has, in a short period, become a leading model in harnessing sustainability to serve the community, by converting new products into humanitarian value that preserves the dignity of beneficiaries and reinforces the principles of the circular economy.
She explained that the initiative has succeeded in converting more than 930,000 new products, valued at over 43 million dirhams (AED), into gifts benefiting more than 49,000 people, with the support of more than 4,000 volunteers. She affirmed that the integration of private sector efforts with government entities and civil society organisations is capable of achieving a broad and sustainable social impact.