Dubai Launches New Social Strategy for 2025–2033 with Public Help

Photo: Dubai Government Media Office

Dubai has taken an important step toward building a better and more connected society. The Community Development Authority (CDA) recently organized a large workshop to start working on the city’s new Social Sector Strategy for 2025–2033. This new strategy is designed to improve the quality of life for all residents of Dubai and focuses on people, families, and communities.

The CDA invited around 70 representatives from 27 different local and federal government bodies to take part in the event. These representatives came together to discuss, share knowledge, and help shape the future direction of Dubai’s social development efforts. Their input is helping to create a more effective and inclusive strategy that meets the real needs of the people.

This workshop is the first phase of a three-stage development process. The process will continue throughout July and August. This initiative supports bigger goals such as the Dubai Social Agenda 33, Dubai Plan 2033, and the UAE’s national vision, ‘We the UAE 2031’. All of these plans share one main goal: to make the lives of people better by focusing on human wellbeing.

A Collaborative Start to a Long-Term Strategy

The CDA believes that creating successful strategies must involve the people who are affected by them. That’s why the workshop included open discussions and technical sessions where government experts, social service professionals, and community leaders could exchange ideas. This helped ensure that the strategy is not created in isolation, but instead reflects the needs and experiences of people in the real world.

Participants shared insights based on their daily work and challenges. These valuable contributions added depth to the discussions and helped form a solid foundation for the next phases of strategy development.

Three Clear Goals: People, Families, and Communities

The upcoming strategy focuses on three main outcomes. These are areas that directly impact the lives of individuals and aim to build a stronger, more united society.

1. Personal Wellbeing – This part of the strategy is about improving the mental, emotional, and social health of individuals. It includes making sure people have access to the right kind of support when they need it, especially when facing challenges in life.

2. Family Cohesion – Families play a central role in any society. The strategy will support programs and policies that strengthen family ties and help families provide a safe and loving environment for their members.

3. Community Belonging – Feeling like you are part of a community makes people more engaged, confident, and happy. This part of the plan focuses on creating inclusive spaces where everyone, regardless of background, feels welcome and encouraged to take part in building society.

Smart Use of Technology for Social Good

One of the unique features of the new strategy is its strong focus on using technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve social services. By using digital tools, the government hopes to offer services faster and with more accuracy.

This could include things like smart apps that allow people to get support easily, digital records to help social workers better understand cases, and AI that can identify social needs before they grow into big problems. The goal is to make the experience smoother and more user-friendly for everyone involved.

Building on Success, Planning for the Future

Dubai has already done a lot of work in the area of social development. But this new strategy takes things a step further by focusing on sustainability, innovation, and resilience. Some of the key ideas include:

• Making society stronger and more adaptable. This means helping people and families be ready for future challenges, including changes in work, education, and the economy.

• Moving from aid to investment. Instead of just offering help when needed, the strategy will focus on long-term solutions that empower communities to grow and succeed on their own.

• Supporting national identity. The plan will also look at ways to keep the UAE’s culture and values strong, especially during times of fast change due to social media, globalization, and digital life.

• Helping those in need. With the cost of living rising, the strategy includes steps to support low- and middle-income families, making sure everyone has access to basic needs and services.

Leadership Encourages Open Dialogue

Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, the Director General of the CDA, spoke at the event and emphasized how important it is to include people from all areas of life in this process. She said that building the future of Dubai’s social services isn’t just a job for officials sitting in offices—it needs honest conversations, public input, and collaboration.

She described the strategy not just as a document, but as a promise to the people of Dubai. A promise to build a future that is fair, inclusive, and built around the needs of people. She also thanked all the participants who took part in the workshop for their active and meaningful contributions.

Co-Design: Solutions That Come From the People

One of the most important aspects of the strategy is the “co-design” approach. This means that solutions are not created by a few people at the top, but by listening to and involving ordinary citizens, social workers, experts, and community leaders.

The CDA believes that the best ideas come from those who live with the problems every day. This kind of approach leads to smarter, more realistic plans that are more likely to succeed.

A Three-Phase Plan to Build a Better Future

The full development of the strategy will take place over three main phases:

1. Situational Analysis and Future Foresight – In this phase, data will be collected about the current situation, and future needs will be predicted. This helps the CDA understand where help is most needed.

2. Designing the Strategy – This includes setting key goals, identifying major projects and activities, and creating indicators to track progress.

3. Implementation Planning – The final phase is about turning ideas into action. A step-by-step roadmap will be built to make sure the strategy is implemented effectively and produces real results.

During all these stages, the CDA will keep involving the community through interviews, technical meetings, and field visits. This will help ensure that the final plan works in the real world, not just on paper.

A Long-Term Commitment to People’s Wellbeing

The CDA made it clear that this strategy is not just a short-term campaign. It is a long-term commitment to putting people first in every decision and action. The vision is to create a city that is inclusive, resilient, supportive, and future-ready.

With the help of technology, public involvement, and careful planning, Dubai hopes to become a model for other cities around the world in how to build a caring, connected society.