Judge Abdulaziz Anwahi, Appeals Judge and Head of the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee at Dubai's Rental Dispute Settlement Centre, has confirmed that the 'Sitr' initiative — one of the programmes launched by the committee — has supported 262 financially distressed families with their rental obligations since its launch through the current month.
The initiative has also contributed to settling 211 enforcement files. He stressed that these updated figures reflect the direct humanitarian impact of the initiative, its role in relieving the burden on families, and its contribution to reinforcing social stability as part of a broader system of initiatives implemented by the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee.
He told Al Bayan that the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee, affiliated with the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre, has since its establishment in 2017 entrenched an institutional approach to community and charitable work, one that makes social responsibility a core component of the centre's strategic planning through carefully considered initiatives based on real indicators and community needs that are monitored on a regular basis.
Anwahi affirmed that the committee's work is not limited to any single initiative, but extends to a comprehensive system of initiatives and partnerships targeting families and individuals facing challenges related to rental obligations, with priority given to the most vulnerable cases. He noted that each case is studied independently according to clear criteria that ensure support is directed to those who genuinely deserve it.
He explained that the 'Sitr' initiative, launched by the centre in cooperation with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charitable Foundation, represents one of the advanced models combining judicial work with a humanitarian dimension, as it aims to support families struggling with rental obligations and settle related enforcement files, thereby helping to protect the fabric of families and ease the consequences of financial distress on individuals and households.
He added that supporting 262 families and settling 211 enforcement files under 'Sitr' are not mere statistics, but reflect human stories of families that faced severe financial or social pressures and found in the initiative an organised pathway to assistance. He affirmed that the committee treats each case as both a humanitarian and legal file simultaneously, achieving a balance between preserving rights and taking account of social circumstances.
He noted that the initiative is in harmony with the UAE's Year of the Family 2026 and the Dubai Government's direction to entrench values of social solidarity, through practical solutions that directly address families' needs and help them overcome hardship at the appropriate stage before its psychological, social, and economic consequences worsen.
He said the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee adopts a precise system for evaluating cases that covers social status, monthly income, the extent of debt, prior payment record, and the circumstances surrounding each case, ensuring that support is not dispensed arbitrarily but is based on an objective assessment that strikes a balance between genuine need and the requirements of justice.
He added that the integration between the judicial and humanitarian dimensions is achieved through examining the specific circumstances of each file in accordance with the requisite legal principles, enabling the reaching of balanced solutions that respect rights and entitlements on one hand and take social and humanitarian considerations into account on the other.
Anwahi pointed out that this approach reflects the concept of prompt justice in its broadest sense, as the centre's role is not confined to adjudicating rental disputes but extends to supporting solutions that preserve rights while simultaneously addressing humanitarian cases that require organised intervention, thereby strengthening confidence in the judicial system and cementing an image of justice associated with efficiency and fairness.
He confirmed that the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee draws up annual plans for its initiatives and objectives in line with clear community needs, identifies target groups before launching any initiative to ensure efficient implementation and sustainable outcomes, and continuously reviews programmes to measure their impact and develop them further.
He indicated that the committee coordinates with various government and private sector entities and charitable associations through an organised institutional framework based on the signing of clear memoranda of understanding that define roles, responsibilities, and implementation mechanisms.
He noted that the committee examines each initiative with its partners to ensure that support is directed to eligible groups and that the judicial and humanitarian standards adopted within the centre are observed.
He said the recent period has seen the implementation of several high-quality initiatives under the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee, among them the support provided by Dar Al Ber Society and the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation.
These include the launch of the 'Sitr' initiative with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charitable Foundation, and the memorandum of understanding concluded with the Irada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, alongside other partnerships with the Tarahum Charitable Foundation and the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.
He added that these partnerships do not operate in isolation from one another but form an integrated system of financial, community, and legal support, targeting distressed rental cases from multiple angles — whether through settling debts, resolving enforcement files, releasing those in default, or coordinating with relevant authorities to provide support pathways for groups requiring additional intervention.
He explained that cooperation with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai — through approved channels for receiving donations and encouraging community participation — contributed to settling the debts of 211 individuals in rental cases totalling 10.5 million dirhams (AED), thereby easing the burden on beneficiaries and their families and expanding the reach of initiatives implemented by the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee.
He added that the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation provided direct support of 1 million dirhams that contributed to releasing 42 individuals in default, alongside a further 500,000 dirhams donated for the same purpose. He stressed that these joint institutional efforts enhanced the humanitarian impact of the initiatives and expanded the list of beneficiaries from the committee's programmes.
He noted that the 1 million dirham contribution from Dar Al Ber Society comes within the framework of enhancing social responsibility and addressing the challenges faced by some families and individuals bound by rental cases, affirming that providing fair solutions delivers a tangible and positive impact on society and spreads the values of generosity that distinguish the United Arab Emirates across all fields.
He also pointed out that the partnership with the Tarahum Charitable Foundation contributed to supporting the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee's efforts through a donation of 3 million dirhams, as an extension of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties at an earlier stage, thereby bolstering the implementation of humanitarian programmes targeting distressed rental cases, increasing the number of beneficiaries, and entrenching the dimensions of social justice supported by active charitable partnerships.
Regarding the memorandum of understanding signed with the Irada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, Anwahi affirmed that this partnership represents a qualitative step in the field of charitable work to assist addiction patients and their families, through conducting legal settlements and providing support to beneficiaries to mitigate the consequences of rental disputes and financial obligations, in line with relevant legislation and procedures.
He explained that this agreement contributes to achieving social and family stability and supporting positive reintegration into society, reinforcing a sustainable humanitarian model that serves the targeted groups and underscores the importance of cooperation between government bodies and treatment institutions in supporting beneficiaries on their path to recovery.
Anwahi emphasised that supporting families and individuals in default on rental obligations directly reflects on social stability, because housing represents one of the most important elements of family security, and any default in this regard can have far-reaching consequences for the family — especially children, the elderly, and the most vulnerable groups.
He explained that the committee does not treat charitable initiatives merely as temporary remedies, but strives to build a sustainable model based on examining root causes, identifying target groups, expanding partnerships, and measuring outcomes, making charitable work more efficient and more closely aligned with actual community needs.
He noted that the committee also receives individual and humanitarian contributions from generous donors who come forward with support through official channels, with these contributors coordinated through clear mechanisms that preserve privacy and ensure the swift delivery of assistance to the cases that require it.
He affirmed that the 'Yad Al Khair' Committee is committed to unifying initiative pathways with transparency and efficiency, ensuring that support is managed in accordance with approved frameworks, bolstering confidence in humanitarian initiatives linked to judicial work, and achieving tangible impact that benefits the lives of beneficiaries and their families.
He said the mission of the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre is to uphold the principles of prompt justice, which are not limited to the judicial dimension alone but extend to encompass the humanitarian and social dimensions, ensuring fairness in providing support to individuals and families and cementing the role of judicial institutions in serving society.
He stated that the success of charitable and community work rests on 3 core pillars: first, a clear institutional framework that ensures transparency in the management of support; second, integration between judicial and charitable bodies to achieve rapid response and effective implementation; and third, the precise selection of target groups according to fair and carefully considered criteria.
262 families have benefited from rental payment assistance through 'Sitr'
Criteria that guarantee justice and the delivery of support to those who deserve it