SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTInvestment in its people as‘the wealth of the nation’ has been aprimary focus of the UAE Governmentsince the inception of the state.

Ninety-five per cent of all females and 80 per centof all males who complete secondary school applyfor admission to a higher level institution in theUAE or study abroad.

213SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTOVER THE LIFETIME OF LESS THAN A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS, theinhabitants of the UAE have been transformed from a traditional,largely rural people with little or no access to education and healthservices to a modern, urbanised, sophisticated society. Despitethis fundamental social upheaval, particularly the demographicimbalances brought about by large-scale immigration, the UAEcontinues to be a tolerant, open, caring community that cherishesits religious and traditional roots.As a result of the significant progress in social developmentachieved in the country so far, the UAE was ranked forty-ninth inthe Human Development Index (HDI) compiled by the UN HumanDevelopment Report for 2006. This was based on many aspectsof development in the country, including real improvementsin education and health services leading to a low illiteracy rate(9 per cent), high life expectancy at birth (78.3 years) and a lowrate of postpartum and infant mortality; rising contribution to GDPper capita, and an increased focus on the role of women in society.However, as in other areas of governance in the UAE, therecently formulated federal strategy has put renewed emphasison quality and focus on best practices in the delivery of allaspects of social development, particularly since there is anawareness that although the UAE has spent hundreds of billionsof dirhams on developing education, health care, housing, socialwelfare, culture, youth and sports, the results have remainedbelow expectations.It is generally recognised that it is only in the achievement ofadequate social development that other objectives, includingeconomic growth, infrastructure development, and providing asafe and secure environment have any meaning. As emphasisedby Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda, key elements of theemirate’s vision for the development of social and human resourcesdescribe a society characterised by the provision of world-classservices, where individuals (both national and expatriate) are valuedIt is only in theachievement ofadequate socialdevelopment thatother objectives,including economicgrowth, infrastructuredevelopment, andproviding a safe andsecure environmenthave any meaning.@www.uaeinteract.com/social development

214U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8and their unique skills and contributions are ethically leveragedtoward achieving a better quality of life for all.Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 concurs with these sentiments, stressingthat strategic success requires social development to complementand parallel economic development, and that having an effectivesocial infrastructure is the key to reaching higher levels of sustainedeconomic growth.POPULATIONAccording to censusfigures, the total UAEpopulation hasincreased by astaggering74.8 per cent since thelast census wasconducted in 199516001400120010008006004002000ABU DHABIDUBAISHARJAHAJMANRA’S AL KHAIMAHUMM AL QAIWAINFUJAIRAHPopulation by emirate2006 in thousands.Source: IMF Report 2007Preliminary results of the 2005 census released in mid-2006revealed that the total UAE population counted on census nightwas 3,769,080. This figure includes nationals and non-nationals,but does not take into account 335,615 non-nationals who hadresidence visas but were not in the UAE on the night. When bothfigures are added together the total was 4,104,695, a staggering74.8 per cent increase compared to the last census conducted in1995 when the population numbered 2,411,041. The most recentestimates in mid-2007 put the population figure at 4,106,427.Since the detailed demographic structure of excluded groups isnot available, the population census breakdown covered onlythose counted (3,769,080). On that basis, 67.6 per cent of thepopulation are male and 32.4 per cent are female. UAE citizensconstitute 21.9 per cent of the total counted population, withnational males forming 50.7 per cent and national females49.3 per cent. Non-nationals form 78.1 per cent of the totalcounted population and 79.9 per cent of the total UAE population.Based on the census data, 38.1 per cent of nationals are less than14 years old, 51.1 per cent are less than 20 years old, and 48.8 percent of non-nationals belong to the age group 25 to 40 years.Overall 52.9 per cent of the total population are between 20 and39 years old.ID CARDSEmirates Identity Authority (EIDA), a Federal Governmentorganisation, has been entrusted with the task of developing andimplementing a modern and integrated population register and

identity management system for both citizens and other residentsof the UAE. The hope is that the Population Register and ID CardProject (PRNIDC) will help to establish an accurate database on theeconomic, demographic and social characteristics of the country.Amongst other things, this will facilitate the identification ofcommon needs in fields such as education, health and housingand it will also prove invaluable in fighting crime and reinforcingsecurity. Enabling legislation governing this project is containedin Federal Law No. 9 of 2006 comprising 32 articles, includingsafeguards for individual security and privacy.EIDA has adopted a multi-phase strategy designed to facilitateorderly registration of all people in the UAE. Registration with theAuthority at PRNIDC centres will be obligatory for nationals andexpatriates over 15 years of age from the beginning of 2008, but isoptional for those under 15. The registration process, during whichan individual’s photograph, fingerprint, iris scan and e-signatureare entered into the system, is expected to be completed withinthree years.People gather to create a‘human map of the world’.@www.uaeinteract.com/population

216U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8UAE Minister of Social Affairs,Mariam Mohammed KhalfanAl Roumi, speaking at theUnited Nations in New York.The ID card is a multi-purpose smart card that will eventuallyreplace the residents’ card, labour card, health card, civil statusregistry card and driving licence. Plans are also being formulatedto bundle e-dirham and e-gate facilities. The card may also be usedas a passport for UAE residents when travelling to GCC countries.It will be prohibited to hire any person in any capacity unlesshe/she has obtained an ID card. Violators will be fined Dh1000and EIDA is currently conducting a large-scale awareness campaignto inform the public about ID card requirements.Overall, labourregulation is theresponsibility of thefederal Ministry ofLabour, but severalother federal and localentities play animportant part inassisting the ministry toachieve its objectives.LABOUR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRSFederal strategy in this area focuses on the development of acomprehensive population policy to rectify the demographicimbalance and the continuance of Emiratisation (the replacementof expatriate employees with UAE citizens) through a well-plannedcourse of action that incorporates both federal and local efforts.In addition, the strategy sets out to develop a proper frameworkfor the optimal organisation of the workforce. This, it points out,should encompass the determination of minimum standardsapplicable to the work environment and accommodation.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T217As already indicated in the section on the Economy, initiativesthat would help realise these objectives include supporting federaland local nationalisation programmes; preparing national workforcedatabases; strengthening the Ministry of Labour’s inspection andmonitoring system; enacting regulations and legislation to limitillegal labour; adopting strict penalties to discourage the hiring ofillegal labour; developing the required minimum standards interms of health and safety at work and in living conditions.Overall, labour regulation is the responsibility of the federalMinistry of Labour, but several other federal and local entitiesplay an important part in assisting the ministry to achieve itsobjectives. These include at federal level the Ministry of Interior,Ministry of Justice and the Federal Courts, and at emirate level,the corresponding government departments as well as Chambersof Commerce and private companies.Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda 2007/2008 declaresthat in carrying out the ethical, safe and efficient management oflabour resources within the emirate, at the same time ensuringan adequate and stable supply of labour to support continuedeconomic and social development, government and private sectorentities will pursue the following objectives: achieving fullemployment for UAE nationals in viable career tracks; adheringstrictly to federal labour law, as well as to all international labourobligations entered into by the UAE; eliminating completelydiscrimination in the workplace and any and all kinds ofexploitative or coercive labour practices, with particular focus onthe protection of women and minors; as well as the completeeradication of any form of trafficking in persons.The Abu Dhabi government is currently implementing plans toestablish a Department of Labour and Social Services to overseeimplementation of the policy.Oil 1.16%Agriculture 6.8%Mining & quarrying 0.2%Manufacturing 12.7%Electricity, gas & water 1.2%Construction 22.76%Wholesale & retail 18.2%Hotels 4.4%Transport, communication 6.1%Finance & insurance 1.3%Real estate 2.9%Government services 10%Social & personal services 4.3%Domestic & household services 7.9%Sectoral distribution of civilianemployment 2001–2006.NATIONAL EMPLOYMENTAt present the majority of UAE citizens in the workforce areworking in a public sector that has reached saturation point andis, therefore, incapable of absorbing the thousands (15,000 to20,000) of nationals entering the job market each year. At the@www.uaeinteract.com/employment

218U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Emiratisation targetsremain the mostpromising means ofcreating newemployment forcitizens.same time, UAE nationals account for a very small percentage ofthe total workforce in the private sector, while private sectoremployment accounts for over 50 per cent of jobs in the UAE.The creation of job opportunities for national graduates in theprivate sector is, therefore, crucial.Emiratisation, i.e. government intervention in the form ofemployment quotas for nationals in certain sectors, is consideredto be essential, not only to provide much-needed employmentfor nationals, but in order to build the nation’s knowledge economyand to ensure that UAE nationals serve as the key drivers ofeconomic growth and development.As the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda points out,despite somewhat mixed results, the imposition of sector-wideEmiratisation targets remains the most promising means of creatingnew employment opportunities for citizens. Since 1999, and asa result of Government-imposed targets, participation by UAEcitizens in the banking sector rose by 300 per cent from roughly1200 UAE employees to over 4700, with citizens accounting forroughly 26.4 per cent of the banking sector workforce in 2005.A similar strategy in the insurance sector was less successful,yielding only a 5.3 per cent rate of UAE national participation.Surveys of potential job seekers found that a combination offactors, including perceptions of the sector, remuneration andwork practices, made the latter sector less attractive to nationaljob seekers.Abu Dhabi government intends to support the further evolutionand extension of such strategies to generate suitable employmentopportunities for UAE citizens. Government entities will alsomake Emiratisation goals a standard requirement in the awardingof major contracts (e.g. oil and gas contracts, power-generationcontracts and major defence procurements).Organisations such as the Abu Dhabi Council for Emiratisationand The Emirates National Development Programme are trainingnationals for the labour market in accordance with marketdemand, at the same time building partnerships with UAE privatesector firms for recruitment and long-term retention of nationals.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T219Emirati job seekers at CareersUAE Exhibition 2007.Many of the leading companies also have specialised trainingand internship programmes for UAE citizens.Additional strategies utilised by the authorities to foster theemployment of citizens are symposiums on employment issuesand the holding of career fairs for recruitment purposes. Forexample, the main objective of the Tawteen Symposium on skillsand career development in the UAE and Arab World was to bringtogether representatives from government, business, educationand the civil community from the UAE and the wider Arab World,to examine persisting social and cultural obstacles to meaningfulcareers and self-development for UAE and other Arab nationals. Onthe other hand, Careers UAE 2007 and Abu Dhabi Career Fair'Tawdheef 2007' gave nationals direct access to recruiters fromvarious sectors, including government, financial services, training,education, recruitment agencies, hospitality and tourism, oil andgas, commerce and trade groups, transport, aviation etc.Emirates Foundation’s2007 Tawteen ProgressEvent marks the secondphase in its drive toempower youngnationals through thecreation of meaningfulemploymentopportunitiesthroughout the UAE.LABOUR REGULATIONThe UAE hosts people from around 200 countries working togetherharmoniously in a wide spectrum of jobs at all levels, and thistalented pool of workers from all over the world contributes@www.uaeinteract.com/employment

220 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8‘The United ArabEmirates is a land ofopportunity, and peoplecome here to realisetheir dreams’significantly to the growth of the economy. As the Minister ofEconomy, Sheikha Lubna, has pointed out: ‘The United ArabEmirates is a land of opportunity, and people come here torealise their dreams’. In order to keep pace with rapid economicgrowth, the UAE will continue to require large numbers ofexpatriate workers, particularly as economic diversification drivesexpansion into labour-intensive sectors such as tourism, realestate and medium and heavy industries.Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda 2007/2008 clearlystates that effective management of labour resources constitutes acritical element in attracting and developing a skilled andflexible workforce capable of delivering upon the emirate’ssocial and economic vision. Mismanagement of labour resourceswould not only threaten the achievement of that vision, but couldtarnish the country’s international image. Most importantly, itwould be inconsistent with the values of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.The agenda stresses that while expatriate workers choose tocome to Abu Dhabi and benefit financially from that decision,such workers make an important contribution to the growth anddevelopment of the emirate that merits both recognition andthe promise of an ethical standard of treatment. The agendapromises that the government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabiintends to address labour management issues in a manner thatensures adequate protection for UAE national and foreignmembers of its working population.Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 also focuses on the provision ofequal treatment and acceptable working conditions for Dubai’sworkforce in order to attract and retain the required expertise.This, it says, will be achieved by coordinating with federal entitiesto improve and update labour laws and labour rights; establishingappropriate mechanisms for the enforcement of legislation; andraising employers' and employees' awareness of their legal rightsand responsibilities.Working ConditionsIn the past, concerns have been expressed regarding workingconditions for the labour force in the UAE, especially those of

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T221the huge numbers of manual labourers that have been broughtin to the country to meet the massive demand for labour generatedby the recent construction boom. Under these circumstances,it has not always been easy to ensure that the workforce istreated properly, but it is hoped that implementation of federaland local strategies, new legislation, and recent enforcementinitiatives by the Ministry of Labour will go a long way towardsaddressing the issues.In particular, the UAE Government has been focusing on healthand safety concerns, the poor quality of accommodation, failureby companies to pay salaries promptly and the heavy burdenplaced upon workers as a result of the high fees and interestpayments demanded by recruitment agencies in their homecountries. Initiatives in these areas are being carried out inconsultation with, and in collaboration with, local government,and, where appropriate, with the governments of the countriesof origin.SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITSDespite the economic boom, some vulnerable sections of UAEsociety find themselves in need of support. Over the past 20years, the number of people receiving monthly assistance hasfallen, but at the same time the average payment per recipienthas gone up sharply, reflecting a 75 per cent hike in the valueof payments to help combat the increased cost of living.Social security benefits in the form of financial assistance areadministered by the Ministry of Social Affairs. In addition practicalhelp is offered by the network of ministry-supported social centresrun by the General Women’s Union (see section on Women), andthe government-supported social welfare and rehabilitationcentres providing assistance to the disabled. UAE citizens arealso eligible for free or subsidised housing.The major direction for public policy within this area is tostrengthen the organisational role of the UAE Government andeffect the transfer from the social welfare approach to the socialdevelopment approach, thus integrating all beneficiaries in thedevelopment process and thereby maintaining the stability and@www.uaeinteract.com/welfare‘The 2007 amnestygranted to 176,000illegal workers allowedthem to legalise theirstatus in the UAE.Organisations such as theZayed Housing Programmeare instrumental in assisting inthe provision of housing forUAE nationals.

222U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Voluntary workrepresents theembodiment of Islamicand social values inUAE society and theimportance ofvolunteerism inenhancing socialsolidarity andcontributing to theprocess of socialdevelopment is widelyrecognised.cohesiveness of the UAE family. The strategy also promotes theconcept of community and social partnership. This is to beachieved by motivating local societies, institutions and individualsto provide social services and to create partnerships with theprivate sector.Initiatives to realise this objective include enacting legislationand special regulations for the assimilation of members of societywith special needs and other beneficiaries into the developmentprocess; increasing rehabilitation and training programmes inpartnership with other local and private bodies; training socialwelfare beneficiaries and preparing them for the job market;launching joint programmes between federal and local socialcare bodies to ensure service integrity; increasing and initiatingfamily extension and awareness programmes; providing financialassistance to the needy; enacting legislation and laws to encouragelocal institutions, individuals and the private sector to providesocial services; inaugurating a prize/award for the best socialdevelopment initiatives and institutions.SOCIAL WELFARE ASSOCIATIONSVoluntary work represents the embodiment of Islamic and socialvalues in UAE society and the importance of volunteerism inenhancing social solidarity and contributing to the process of socialdevelopment is widely recognised. Accordingly, the Governmenthas encouraged and promoted voluntary work by supportingvoluntary and humanitarian organisations and has implementedlegislation to regulate their services to the public. For their part,voluntary and charitable organisations in the UAE, among whichthe UAE Red Crescent is most prominent, have given generously tosocial welfare services and development programmes covering suchareas as medical aid, student sponsorship, disability, special care,health care, the welfare of prisoners and lump-sum aid programmes.The UAE Red Crescent is the largest charitable organisation inthe country and a major international relief agency (see Foreign Aidin the section on Government for an account of its international aid).Humanitarian and charitable development programmes costing

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T223Dh85.6 million were also carried out by the Red Crescent in theUAE in 2006, working closely with the Zakat Fund, distributingmoney donated by Muslims fulfilling their religious duties.The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable andHumanitarian Foundation finances projects to benefit largecommunities both within the UAE and overseas. It does notdistribute financial resources to individuals or groups.Abu Dhabi-based Zayed Higher Foundation for HumanitarianWelfare of Special Needy People and Minors was formed in 2004.Bodies under its auspices include the Authority for Social Welfareand Minors’ Affairs, Zayed House for Comprehensive Welfare, AbuDhabi Elderly Welfare Centre, Centre for Rehabilitation of SpecialNeeds People, and Al Ain Centre and Club for Handicapped.Eighty per cent of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktoumCharitable and Humanitarian Foundation’s budget is normallyallocated to projects within the UAE. The foundation’s domesticprogrammes concentrate on education, medical treatment, monthlyor one-time assistance, food coupons, training courses and housing.The Bait Al Khair Charity Society provides assistance to poorstudents and emergency aid to those who have been hit bycatastrophes. It also works with other charity organisations toensure that the needy get the best of help.Other organisations include the women’s associations in eachemirate, charity associations in Sharjah and Fujairah and Dubai,Ajman Care Society, Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, Umm@www.uaeinteract.com/welfareIn addition to its work as amajor international reliefagency, the UAE Red Crescentalso carries out extensivedomestic humanitarian andcharitable developmentprogrammes.The UAE’s federaldisability law, FederalLaw No. 29 of 2006,enshrining the rights ofthe disabled and layingdown provisions fortheir welfare, is basedon the principles ofthe InternationalConvention on theRights of Personswith Disabilities.

224U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8An example of a ‘Fareej’ – thesmallest unit of an Emiraticommunity as conceivedunder the Abu Dhabi UrbanStructure Framework Plan –shows a group of homesclustered around a centralcourtyard. This pattern isbased on the traditionalorganisation of Emiratisettlements and reflects thevery high importance of familyrelationships.Fareejs grouped together in‘Local Clusters’ around acentral park complex, with akindergarten, outdoor playarea and local mosque.Local clusters are grouped into‘Neighbourhoods’, supportingtwo primary schools, a Fridaymosque, a park, and awomen’s centre, as well aslocal shops and higherdensity housing.al-Qaiwain Humanitarian Services City, the HandicappedGuardians Association, and Taryam Omran Establishment forCultural and Humanitarian Services. Many of these groups dosterling work with the disabled.HOUSINGAccess to modern comfortable housing is considered to be theright of every citizen. The rapid rise in population coupled withthe demands of modern living has necessitated Governmentintervention at federal and emirate level to ensure that the housingneeds of nationals are met throughout the federation in a balancedand sustainable manner. In this context, the Ministry of PublicWorks is drafting a national housing plan that will outline the keyfocus areas for development in its 2008/2010 strategy. Thenational housing plan includes the construction of new cities to

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T225international standards. Programmes coordinated by municipalitiesin each emirate also include the free distribution of houses andland to citizens.This year, the Abu Dhabi government launched a Dh22 billion(US$5.6 billion) plan to construct 18,000 residential units inintegrated complexes for UAE nationals in Marabie' Al Dhafra,Madinat Zayed. This project is being implemented by the Landsand Houses Allocation Committee and the Housing DevelopmentCommittee. Other organisations such as the Zayed HousingProgramme are also instrumental in dealing with housing shortages.ABU DHABI AWARDSFollowing an overwhelming response in 2006, the Abu DhabiAwards 2007, which recognise and celebrate those who havedemonstrated exemplary acts in building a greater sense ofcommunity and social welfare within the emirate, will beannounced at a special ceremony in mid-December 2007.In 2006 the Awards generated more than 50,000 nominationsthrough various outlets, including strategically-placed booths,roaming nomination stations, the Abu Dhabi Awards website(http://www.abudhabiawards.ae), and a dedicated fax and callcentre number provided by Etisalat.The same methods will be available for registering nominationsthis year. In particular, booths staffed by young volunteers fromTakatof will be positioned in more than 25 locations around theemirate, including malls in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, to provideinformation on the Awards and receive nominations. (Takatof is avoluntary social programme, designed by the Emirates Foundationto foster a culture of volunteering throughout the UAE.)YOUTHThe Abu Dhabi Awardsrecognise and celebrate thosewho have demonstratedexemplary acts in building agreater sense of communityand social welfare within theemirate.Young people form a large segment of UAE society (38.1 per centof citizens are less than 14 years old, 51.1 per cent are less than 20years old) and recognising that the youth of today are the future ofthe country, the UAE has implemented child-centred programmes,enacted laws and acceded to regional and international conventions@www.uaeinteract.com/youth

226U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8New laws have beenenacted to ensure thesafety and protection ofchildren within thefamily or in nationalinstitutions thatprovide care to orphansand abandonedchildren.protecting children’s rights, including the UN Convention on theRights of the Child.Some of the most significant child-centred measures undertakenby the Government include the establishment of specialised healthcare and medical centres for mothers and children, and theintroduction of compulsory education for both sexes at primarylevel and free education for all stages from kindergarten touniversity (see sections on Health and Education). New laws havealso been enacted to ensure the safety and protection of childrenwithin the family or in national institutions that are concernedwith providing care to orphans and abandoned children. Laws arealso in place to protect children from all forms of exploitation,including anti-trafficking legislation.Establishment of the Supreme Council for Mother and Childadvances standards of care and attention given to mothers and

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T227children, especially in areas targeting their educational, cultural,health and social well-being. In addition, the establishment ofcare centres for disabled children provides them with the medical,psychological, social and educational services that they require.The Government has also established special centres for thetreatment and rehabilitation of juveniles and troubled youthunder the supervision of specialised psychologists and socialworkers and set up training programmes to prepare them fortheir return to society.In addition, the Government has placed particular emphasison the promotion of youth activities, through social, scientific,sporting and cultural clubs. Scouts’ and Guides’ packs have beenestablished across the country, which organise cultural, religious,social, scientific and educational programmes for their members.Initiatives such as the Young Leaders Forum are also focusing onthe necessity of fostering leadership skills and the need to give theyouth a means of participating in the social and economicdevelopment of the region. This is part of Young Leaders Track, aperiodic event held in partnership between the Dubai School ofGovernment and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Programme ForLeadership Development, and is sponsored by Axiom. The eventhopes to facilitate exchange of ideas and promote dialogue onleadership concepts in the Arab world.But the Government’s child-centred focus is not confined todomestic or even regional concerns: convinced that internationalcooperation is instrumental to the achievement of development,the United Arab Emirates is keen to participate in internationalefforts aimed at realising this objective. To this end, the UAEhas made significant contributions in cash and in kind to theUN agencies concerned with children, and extended directassistance to developing countries and countries affected bynatural disasters and armed conflicts, where children suffer frompoverty, illiteracy, violence, displacement, sexual exploitation,trafficking and recruitment in wars, in order to assist thesecountries in improving their social and economic conditions andcreating a world fit for children.The Supreme Council forMother and Child advancesthe standards of care andattention given to mothersand children.Organisations such asScouts and Guides,along with initiativeslike the Young Leaders’Forum, give youngpeople the opportunityto participate in a widerange of cultural,social, religious,scientific andeducational activities.@www.uaeinteract.com/youth

228 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8EDUCATIONEducation at primary andsecondary level takes placein a four-tier processspanning 14 years.The newsecondary-levelschool curriculum isdesigned to booststudents’ selfconfidence andprepare themadequately to attendhigher educationinstitutes.Educational opportunities in the UAE have blossomed since theestablishment of the federation when only a tiny minority of theurban population had access to formal education. Today, theUAE offers a comprehensive education to all male and femalestudents from kindergarten to university, with education for thecountry's citizens being provided free at all levels. There is alsoan extensive private education sector, while several thousandstudents of both sexes pursue courses of higher education abroadat Government expense.Although great strides have been made since the educationalsystem was first formalised, a major overhaul of the system tomeet the needs of the twenty-first century is a cornerstone ofUAE Government strategy, with a particular emphasis on thedecentralisation of administration to educational zones. SheikhKhalifa also issued a federal decree in September 2007 authorisingthe Cabinet to reorganise the private education system, replacingthe private education law of 1999 and bringing the privatesector in line with public education. Individual emirates are alsoreforming their educational systems within the context of thefederal framework.PRE-UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONEducation at primary and secondary level is universal andcompulsory up to ninth grade. This takes place in a four-tierprocess over 14 years: 4 to 5 year-olds attend kindergarten, 6 to11 year-olds attend primary schools, the preparatory stage catersfor children aged between 12 to 14 years, and 15 to 17 year-oldsattend secondary schools.Over 40 per cent of pupils attend private schools. Some of theseoffer foreign language education geared towards expatriatecommunities, usually preserving the culture and following thecurriculum of the students’ countries of origin.The major direction for federal public policy within the preuniversitysector is to improve student and school performancelevels in line with the expectations of society and international

The UAE offers a comprehensive education to allmale and female students from kindergarten touniversity, with education for the country'scitizens being provided free at all levels.

230 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8standards, as well as enhancing the managerial independency ofschools and promoting student-centred education processes.This is to be implemented in tandem with developing thegovernance framework for this sector in cooperation with localeducation councils.Some of the initiatives that will realise these policy objectivesare the development of school curricula and student assessmentprogrammes; improvements in the technical infrastructure ofall schools; the institution of continuing education programmesfor school principals, teachers and other school staff; theestablishment of a system of teacher licensing and re-licensing;adoption of an academic accreditation system for public andprivate schools; and implementation of plans for developing schoolbuildings and equipment in line with international standards.One of the many concrete ways in which the new policy isbeing implemented by the Ministry of Education (MoE) is therecent adoption of the new secondary-level school curriculumbased on continuous assessment. The new system is designedto boost students' self confidence and prepare them adequately toattend higher education institutes. The MoE has also issuedregulations unifying vacation dates in public and private schools,commencing in the 2007/2008 academic year.Educational reform isintended to facilitateAbu Dhabi’s evolutionas an education hubfor the Emirates andthe region.REFORMS IN ABU DHABIEducational reform is a central component of the Abu DhabiExecutive Council Policy Agenda 2007/2008, its primary goal beingthe creation of a comprehensive system of education that appliesworld-class standards and expertise in line with the federal strategy.In Abu Dhabi, the reform effort begins with administrativerestructuring so that government has a reduced role in the directprovision of educational services and a strengthened privatesector delivers educational services on behalf of government.The focus of government, therefore, becomes that of regulator andsupervisor of an education system with newly created standardsmatching best educational practice. At the same time, theparticipation of Emirati nationals in education administration and

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T231teaching is increased and cost efficiencies are achieved throughnew practices in the management of individual schools and newadministrative structures for learning institutions across theemirate. These reforms are also intended to facilitate Abu Dhabi’sevolution as an education hub for the Emirates and the region.A number of public entities contribute to the managementand delivery of education in the emirate: the Federal Ministry forEducation and Youth sets the overarching educational strategy tobe implemented across the UAE. At an emirate level, the AbuDhabi Education Council (ADEC), established in 2005, guides thedelivery of education on the ground within the emirate’s threeeducation zones – Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region.Together, these independent entities manage public school andtertiary education in the emirate, while overseeing the deliveryof education by a number of private sector partners. With adedicated mandate to improve educational performance andoutcomes in Abu Dhabi, ADEC’s role, at present, is advisory andearly in 2007 the Abu Dhabi government announced the plannedformation of a Department of Education to manage the deliveryof education within the emirate.A key component of government education policy is tostreamline processes and ensure all public and private entities inthe education sector are working in a coordinated way to achieveconsistent outcomes across the emirate.Three key platforms suffuse all education-related reforms andactivities in Abu Dhabi:• Improving the curriculum taught to students in all learninginstitutions.• Enhancing the professionalism of the teacher workforce.• Establishing a performance-based learning culture based onoutputs and outcomes rather than inputs.In addition, as the agenda points out, the hallmark of aninternationally benchmarked education system is the provisionof quality learning opportunities at each point of an individual’slifecycle. Providing for each of these distinct phases requires:The hallmark of aninternationallybenchmarkededucation system is theprovision of qualitylearning opportunitiesat each point of anindividual’s lifecycle.@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducation

232 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8• A robust early childhood education strategy.• Quality school infrastructure and curricula.• Accessible pathways to university and technical learning.• Ongoing opportunities for adult education to enable retrainingand access to new skills.Model Schools ProgrammeAbu Dhabi has already embarked on a range of initiatives toachieve its aims. For instance, the model schools pilot programmeseeks to test increased per student expenditure and thereforeinvestment in 23 schools throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.The programme is predicated on matching per student expenditurewith international best practice. Ten schools in Abu Dhabi, ninein Al Ain and four in the Western Region are participating.As part of the recentreforms, new teachersin Abu Dhabigovernment schoolswill be required toattend a universitylevelteacher trainingcourse, as well asholding a Bachelor’sdegree and having anacceptable level ofproficiency in theEnglish language.Public-private PartnershipsConsistent with government restructuring that seeks to decrease itsrole as a service provider in favour of a strengthened private sector,ADEC has commenced a ‘Public-Private Partnership for PublicSchool Management’ pilot project (PPP), with four internationalprivate school providers now operating 30 schools in the emirate.The three-year pilot project is being assessed for student, teacher,and school performance improvements.The success of the pilot will inform future policy decisions onthe expanded participation of private providers in the delivery ofpublic schooling on behalf of the government. It will also assessthe value of various initiatives under trial in individual schools.Early indications of improved educational outcomes meant thatthe pilot programme was expanded to another 30 schools fromSeptember 2007. Whereas the first 30 pilot schools cover gradesK to five, the second wave of PPP schools will cater for gradessix to nine.New Curriculum DevelopmentFollowing a formal review of the schools curriculum, newcurriculum standards have been adopted by ADEC. Already thesestandards have been rolled out into PPP and model schools for

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T233grades K to five. From September 2007 the new standards arebeing applied to grades six to nine in all PPP and model schools.An additional component of the new school curriculum is agreater focus on health and physical education, an immediatepreventive health priority in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.Teacher ProfessionalismRecent reforms require new teachers to hold a Bachelor’s degreeand have an acceptable standard of proficiency in the Englishlanguage. In addition, existing teachers are required to attend skillsdevelopment and training during regular school holidays. A newinitiative is a university-level teacher training certification course,which will be compulsory for all new teachers in Abu Dhabigovernment schools. In addition, a new dedicated teacher-traininginstitute has been developed in conjunction with Singapore’sNational Institute of Education. Commencing in September 2007the Emirates College for Educational Development will provideprofessional development programmes and associated teachingqualifications. Within the 2007/08 academic year the Collegewill also provide teacher certification programmes and associatedqualifications. The Abu Dhabi government’s partner in the creationof the Emirates College of Educational Development is Singapore’sNational Institute of Education.School GovernanceADEC has conducted a review of the management structure ofindividual schools. As a result, a pilot programme has beendeveloped that will see smaller schools merged to create fivelarger K to 12 grade institutions. The aim of the pilot scheme isto review how consolidation through mergers can deliver bettergovernance and therefore better outcomes for students.School PlanningADEC is completing a demographic study to assist in decisionmakingon the future needs for new or upgraded school facilities.Greater coordination will also be required with the Department ofMunicipal Affairs and private property developers in order to@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducationAbu Dhabi studentsshould have access tothe best availabletechnological tools andteachers should be fullytrained in theappropriate use oftechnology in alearning environment.

234 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8coordinate public planning for schools in new residentialdevelopments, and with transport authorities to facilitate adequatepublic access to schools.Integration of TechnologyThe agenda clearly states that students in Abu Dhabi should haveaccess to the best available technological tools and teachers shouldbe fully trained in the appropriate use of technology. To fulfil thisvision, the Abu Dhabi Education Zone has in place one of theworld’s best information technology education infrastructures.With private sector support, this could be replicated in all schools.The system makes provision for central administrative and datamanagement of all schools within the Abu Dhabi EducationZone, including human resources, school governance, academicinformation, student transfers and data mining for assessment ofeducational outcomes. All aspects of curriculum delivery andstudent learning can be managed centrally or locally. In time, thesystem will house newly sourced teaching tools to assist studentlearning. The system can be used to allow teacher-to-studentcommunication, and also direct teacher-to-parent communicationon student-related issues.Additionally, teacher training in use of technology is under way,with an aspiration that all teachers will acquire an InternationalComputer Driving Licence.A key objective of theDubai Strategic Plan2015 is to advanceeducation and ensurethat all UAE nationalshave access toquality educationopportunities.DUBAI STRATEGIC PLANOne of the key objectives of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 is toadvance education, especially in public schools, and ensure thatall nationals have access to quality education opportunities. Thiswill be achieved by enhancing governance in the educationalsector; increasing accountability and transparency of schools;developing the quality of teachers and administration; upgradingcurriculums and teaching methods; improving the educationalenvironment to progress the public’s perception and attitudestowards education; and integrating people with special needsinto public and private schools.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T235HIGHER EDUCATIONThe UAE has established a diversified system of higher educationin a very short period of time. UAE citizens can attend governmentinstitutions free of charge, and a wide range of private institutionssupplement the public sector. Ninety-five per cent of all femalesand 80 per cent of all males who are enrolled in the final year ofsecondary school apply for admission to higher education.As far as higher education and scientific research is concerned,the major direction for federal public policy is to ensure the qualityof public and private academic programmes, further the role ofhigher education institutions, create harmony between the differentspecialities, and meet the requirements of the local communityand the national economy. This is to be achieved through thesuccessful graduation of qualified nationals who are able toeffectively compete for opportunities within the UAE job market.As the federal strategy points out, these policies can be realisedthrough the initiation of joint educational programmes betweenthe Ministry of Education and local education councils; upgradingthe level of General Secondary School Certificates’ graduates andthe application of alternative systems that better equip secondarystudents for university education; the revision of existing academicprogrammes to ensure compliance with the required high qualitystandards; the pursuance of international academic accreditation;the creation of partnerships with the corporate sector to ensure thatnational curricula and programmes are correctly focused in order tomeet the needs of the job market and thus provide students withthe appropriate skills; monitoring the performance of privateuniversities and colleges to ensure coordination with relevant localbodies; and the affiliation of local universities with recognisedinternational universities and the promotion of joint programmes.Again, the attainment of international standards and bestpractices are the guiding principles, with a focus on technologybeing a common thread in efforts to equip the younger generationwith the knowledge, understanding, skills and values to ensuretheir success in meeting individual and national developmentgoals for the UAE.@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducationFocus on technology isa common thread inefforts to equip theyounger generationwith the knowledge,understanding, skillsand values to ensuretheir success inmeeting individualand nationaldevelopment goals.

236 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8There is also a renewed emphasis on the sciences since scientificresearch is considered to be one of the key drivers behind progressin advanced nations, especially those relying on a knowledgebasedeconomy.Institute of AppliedTechnology, Al Ain campus.Mobilising the privatesector in the delivery ofeducational servicesand facilities will leaveUAEU free toconcentrate on itsacademic andeducationalresponsibilities.KEY PRIORITIES IN ABU DHABIThe key priority of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda2007/2008 is to provide a standard of higher education in AbuDhabi that was previously only available for students overseas.Important elements include partnering with leading internationalinstitutions to create new facilities, and ensuring that the emirate’sexisting institutions are strengthened and improved to meet theincreasing demand for local education.This policy is already bearing fruit. For example, the ParisSorbonne University Abu Dhabi, wholly owned by ADEC, wasestablished in May 2006 to enhance educational opportunities inAbu Dhabi in partnership with one of the world’s leading academicinstitutions (see below). Successful international partnershipshave also been developed with Insead, one of the world’s largestgraduate business schools, and between the Petroleum Instituteand the Colorado School of Mines.Other major developments are taking place that will improveand expand higher education facilities in the emirate. Theseinclude the agreement with Al Hikma Development Company todeliver a new campus for UAE University (see below), therebymobilising the private sector in the delivery of educational servicesand facilities and leaving the University free to concentrate on itsacademic and educational responsibilities.Additional significant projects include the relocation of ZayedUniversity and the large-scale construction of a new UniversityCity. Both constitute a considerable expansion of Abu Dhabi’scapacity to provide world-class higher education and ultimatelyachieve educational hub status.VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATIONQuality technical education is critical for Abu Dhabi and the UAEto meet the demand for skills, both now and in the future. A new

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T237Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) was established in 2005 todeliver on the government’s ambitious strategy for technicaleducation. The IAT seeks to provide vocational and technicaleducation to fulfil the needs of major industry sectors such asaviation, automotive, health and defence.Guided by the IAT, four technical secondary school campuseshave been placed under new management with an updatededucational programme and, in 2006, five high school campuses,with a total student population of 2330, were made available fortechnical education.The National University of Science, Technology and Researchwas also created to improve and expand pathways for furthertechnical and vocational education in Abu Dhabi.Finally, commencing in September 2007 the Abu DhabiVocational Education and Training Institute (ADvETI) is providinginternational vocation-based training in targeted industry sectors,including areas such as health, law and tourism. The Institute isbeing established in cooperation with TAFE NSW, of Australia,which will create a turnkey operation that will become theresponsibility of the Abu Dhabi Education Council after five years.The government’s intent is to create – through the ADvETI andIAT initiatives – seamless pathways from grade nine to technicaldegree level for those wishing to engage in vocational and/ortechnical education.UAEUThe Al Ain-based United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), whichopened in the academic year 1977/78, remains the country’sflagship national institution of higher education and is committedto its role as the leading teaching and research institution in theUAE. The university currently comprises five separate campuses,seven residential areas and a population of 15,000 students. UAEUoffers over 70 undergraduate bachelor degrees and a number ofgraduate programmes in a wide range of disciplines. Internationalaccreditation has been awarded to the professional academicprogrammes and the non-professional courses undergo periodicexternal evaluation by international experts to ensure that theyAbu Dhabi VocationalEducation and TrainingInstitute.The government’sintent is to create –through the ADvETIand IAT initiatives –seamless pathwaysfrom grade nine totechnical degree levelfor those wishing toengage in vocationaland/or technicaleducation.@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducation

238 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Zayed University’s Master ofEducation in EducationalLeadership Programme playsa valuable role in the UAE’sdrive to upgrade itsteacher-training initiatives.Zayed University‘focuses on achievingclear educationoutcomes, preparing bilingualstudents whoare aware and proud oftheir country’s historyand heritage, capableof dealing with the hitechand keen onpursuing education.’meet international standards. Collaboration with internationalinstitutions also opens up new opportunities for UAEU’s students.UAEU has been successful in attracting research investmentand is now relying more on external sources of funding rather thanfinancing its research projects from its own resources. Externalfunding has currently reached Dh27.29 million to cover the perioduntil 2009 as compared to less than Dh1 million in the year 2000.However, ageing facilities at UAEU have necessitated an urgentupgrade to ensure that the university can continue to meet itseducational and social objectives into the future, and fulfil theobjectives of the government’s education policy. As alreadyoutlined, this is being effected in a public-private partnershipwith Al Hikma Development Company. The construction contractfor the UAE University was awarded in December 2006 and thefirst phase of the project will be completed in 2008.ZAYED UNIVERSITYZayed University, which was established in 1998, ‘focuses onachieving clear education outcomes, preparing bi-lingual studentswho are aware and proud of their country's history and heritage,capable of dealing with the hi-tech and keen on pursuing education’.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T239Both ZU campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are governed by asingle administration and offer similar programmes. In 2006, ZU’sDubai campus relocated to the Academic City complex in the AlRuwayyah area. This Dh370 million facility encompasses a totalarea of 711,000 square metres comprising six colleges, departmentsand laboratories.Smart Square, located in Dubai Internet City (DIC), a cooperativeventure between ZU and IBM, is an example of ZU’s innovativeapproach. ZU is also engaged in cooperative relationships with anumber of leading institutions throughout the world and signeda memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE ArmedForces in 2007 for scientific and academic cooperation betweenthe two institutions, including the provision of university educationat a new campus in Abu Dhabi for UAE Armed Forces' candidates.Implementation of the MoU began in the 2007/08 academicyear, during which ZU students will receive military training thatwill be credited to their degrees.In September 2007, ZU also entered into a seven-year cooperationagreement with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority(KHDA) in relation to the establishment of Zayed InternationalCollege (ZIC) in Knowledge Village. KHDA will grant financialZayed UniversityImplementation of amemorandum ofunderstanding betweenZayed University andthe UAE Armed Forcesfor scientific andacademic cooperationbetween the twoinstitutions began inthe 2007/2008academic year.@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducation

240 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8support of Dh5.4 million to ZIC. In return, ZU will offer educationalservices, academic support and consultation, together withtraining and developmental programmes and scholarships forKHDA stakeholders.The ‘Women as Global Leaders’ conference organised by ZU atEmirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi is but one of a number ofprogrammes run by the University to ensure that their studentsare well-prepared to actively participate in society. The secondconference in 2006 attracted more than 1200 delegates from 87countries. The third such forum will be held in Dubai in 2008.HIGHER COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGYA system of UAE colleges offering a more technically orientededucation was devised in 1988. The four founding Higher Collegesof Technology (HCTs) commenced the new experiment with anenrolment of 239 students. Today, 12 men's and women's collegesin Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Ra’s al-Khaimah, Sharjah andFujairah provide a diversity of programmes to over 15,000students in modern, technologically equipped campuses. Newcolleges and facilities are being added to the list on a regularbasis, one of the most recent being the impressive, digitallyaware Dubai Men's College at Academic City in Al Ruwayyah. Inaddition, the third phase of the Dubai Women's College (DWC)campus was opened in March 2007.In line with government strategy of forging links with respectedinternational institutions, HCT signed a MoU in September 2007with the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) establishing along-term NYAS–HCT partnership that would facilitate transfer oftechnology and create a UAE academy of sciences within theHCT campus.CERTThe HCTs commercial arm, The Centre of Excellence for AppliedResearch and Training (Cert), which was founded in 1997 and isnow the largest private education provider in the region, pridesitself on responding quickly and effectively to current needs in theregional and international work place, providing professional

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T241development and lifelong learning opportunities for the UAE, theGulf, and – through online training courses – to many other partsof the business world. Cert Technology Ventures (CTV), thetechnology arm of Cert, collaborates with leading technologypartners such as Intel, Microsoft and IBM to foster technologytransfer. Its clients are large public and private sector organisationsin the region, including the UAE Military and the Presidential Court.Having been converted into a joint stock company in 2005,Cert is now primed for the next stage in its development: it ishoping to raise Dh1 billion (US$272 million) and offer 55 percent of its share capital to the public through the first educationand technology IPO in the Middle East. In addition to the lure ofgood financial returns, investors will be able to participate in theunique Cert Education and Research City project, a vision thatwill have significant socioeconomic benefits for the country andits people. Cert City, a fully integrated community encompassingresearch, innovation and entrepreneurship, is being establishedin Abu Dhabi on a site of over 1 million square metres, to befollowed by similar ventures in Dubai and Sharjah, some of theother emirates, and eventually throughout the region.Cert Education and ResearchCity is being established inAbu Dhabi as a fullyintegrated communityencompassing research,innovation andentrepreneurship.The Centre forExcellence for AppliedResearch and Training(Cert) is now thelargest privateeducation providerin the region.@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducation

242 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Education Without BordersHCT hosts the biennial international student conference ‘EducationWithout Borders’, a unique forum promoting critical thinkingand cultural awareness among the younger generation. In 2007over 1000 students from 108 countries debated the problems andissues faced by the world community, bringing their own uniqueperspective to bear on innovative solutions. As the global studentorganising committee comments, this is not just a three-daywonder, it is an ongoing network that benefits all participants.At the 2007 event, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan,Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Chancellorof the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) and an enthusiasticsupporter of the conference, pledged to sponsor Sail Arabia, aproject that will embark on the building of a unique Arabian sailingdhow. Supported by HCT, the Sail Arabia project, will encourage theintegration of physically challenged and able-bodied people. It willalso provide a challenging and rewarding programme of personaland character development for all participants.The Sail Arabia project,supported by theHigher Colleges ofTechnology, will providea challenging andrewarding programmeof personal andcharacter developmentfor both physicallychallenged and ablebodiedparticipants.PRIVATE INSTITUTIONSPrivate universities offer a wide range of tertiary-level opportunitiesin the UAE. Notable institutions include the American Universitiesof Sharjah and Dubai, Sharjah University and the Ajman Universityof Science and Technology. The Ministry of Higher Educationand Scientific Research is responsible for the accreditation ofinstitutes and degrees and its website provides a comprehensivelist of recognised institutes and programmes.Abu Dhabi University (ADU), with campuses in Abu Dhabi andAl Ain, is one of the newer private institutions. ADU has over44 nationalities in its student population and is continuouslycultivating associations with prominent educational institutionsworldwide and offering joint programmes with a large numberof international universities.ADU’s Dh10 million in grants and financial aid offered to highachievingstudents in the form of the Sheikh Hamdan scholarshipsis the largest programme of its kind offered by government orprivate higher education institutions in the UAE.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T243ADU inaugurated its new well-equipped 4-million-squaremetrecampus at Khalifa City 'B' in October 2006 and signed amemorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2007 with MunichTechnical University and the University of Bonn from Germanyto jointly establish a College for Medicine and Health Sciences tobe based at the ADU campus.Al Hosn University in Abu Dhabi opened in 2005. This newprivate university, supported by Abu Dhabi Holding Company(ADHC), will initially be operating from temporary premises. Alarge site in Madinat Khalifa has been earmarked by the AbuDhabi government for the construction of a permanent campus.As already mentioned, an Abu Dhabi chapter of the SorbonneUniversity was also established in 2006. Wholly owned by ADEC,the university will award qualifications under French regulationsand in accordance with academic standards set by the Sorbonnein Paris. All subjects will be taught in French by tutors from theSorbonne. The new university, which is open to students of bothsexes and of all nationalities, is operating from an interim campusnear the Petroleum Institute, but will move to a permanent homeby early 2008.The opening of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Centre forScience and Technology at the Institute of Applied Technology inDubai in 2007 further underpins the country’s drive towardsimparting twenty-first-century skills to students, focusing inparticular on generating an elite corps of scientists, engineersand technicians.Dubai Knowledge Village, a member of TECOM Investments,has launched Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), theworld’s only free zone dedicated to international higher education.Located in the 2.33-million-square-metre Dubai Academic City, adedicated tertiary-level multi-university educational cluster, DIACwill serve as the regional base for a number of international highereducation institutions, targeting students from the region whoare unable to go abroad to study.Nearly 20 international institutes of higher learning fromAustralia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Belgium, UK and Irelandhave already set up base at DIAC, catering to over 8500 students.The new campus of AbuDhabi University at KhalifaCity ‘B’ was inaugurated inOctober 2006.Dubai InternationalAcademic City willserve as the regionalbase for a number ofinternational highereducation institutions,targeting studentsfrom the region whoare unable to goabroad to study.@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducation

244 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8On completion DIAC will be able to accommodate 20 to 30universities and house between 30,000 and 40,000 students andwill be designed to provide a quality of student life and servicesthat is international, culturally diverse and dynamic.The objective of thePetroleum Institute isto provide the UAE andits oil and gas industrywith engineerseducated and trainedto the higheststandards.OTHER INSTITUTIONSIn addition to the higher level institutions outlined above, theUAE also has several vocational and technical educational centresfor those seeking practical career training. These include theEmirates Institute for Banking and Finance, the Dubai School ofGovernment, Etisalat’s colleges and university, Etihad’s trainingcentre, The Emirates Aviation College for Aerospace and AcademicStudies and the Petroleum Institute (PI).The PI, which admitted its first class in 2001, is financed andgoverned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and itsinternational partners. The objective is to provide the UAE andits oil and gas industry with engineers educated and trained tothe highest standards. The first group of female students wasenrolled in 2006. Currently, there are nearly 850 undergraduatestudents (748 men and 96 women) studying at the PI but it willultimately cater to more than 2500 students, of whom some 750will be female.June 2006 was a major milestone with PI’s first 44 graduatesemerging from the engineering programmes and commencingcareers within the ADNOC group of companies. The 2006/07academic year also saw the launch of the first postgraduateprogrammes and the PI plans to offer a complete suite of Masterof Science, Master of Engineering, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)degrees in the near future. As indicated above, the Colorado Schoolof Mines is providing academic guidance and support to the PI, andis assisting in the process of achieving international accreditation.EMIRATES FOUNDATIONOfficially launched in 2005, the Emirates Foundation is anindependent corporate body headquartered in Abu Dhabi.Continuing the late Sheikh Zayed’s legacy, the foundation ismandated to foster a philanthropic culture of public-private

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T245partnership by fundraising and managing donations to developand support community activities in the following areas: Education,Arts and Culture, Research and Development, and Social andEnvironmental Development. Corporations such as Mubadala havebeen closely involved in the creation of the foundation, whoseBoard of Directors includes a range of senior leaders from theUAE. A dedicated Endowment Fund will ensure the financialviability of the foundation.In September 2007, the government of Abu Dhabi announcedthat it had earmarked Dh300 million to support the philanthropicactivities of the foundation. The government’s grant is equal tothe total amount received by the foundation from corporatedonors. The government also indicated that it would pay for thefoundation’s expenses to enable it to finance its programmes.KNOWLEDGE FUNDRecognising that education is the key to an Arab renaissance,HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President,Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai has created the UAE-basedU$10 billion Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation tohelp build a knowledge-based society throughout the region.The fund, which will be run as an investment trust, will financeeducational initiatives and support government projects throughscholarships, scientific research, development of teaching staffcapabilities and improvement of educational infrastructure.The foundation's programmes are also aimed at enhancing thestanding of scholars and intellectuals in the Arab world.WOMENThe full participation of women in social and economic life isconsidered to be essential for the future of the country. Asoutlined in the UAE’s address to the fifty-first session of the UNCommission on the Status of Women, great strides have been madein the empowerment of UAE women since the establishment ofthe state. From very rudimentary beginnings, when educationalopportunities were minimal, the percentage of girls enrolled inA student at The EmiratesAviation College forAerospace and AcademicStudies.Initiatives by theKnowledge Fundinclude: the ArabResearch Network, theArab KnowledgeReport, the SchoolTeachers’ network,Online Programme forWomen, Sponsorshipsin Universities, RefugeeLoan Programme andthe Arab DatabaseProgramme.@www.uaeinteract.com/women

246 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Under the Constitution,women enjoy the samelegal status, claimto titles, access toeducation, health careand social welfareand the same rightto practice professionsas men.primary education has now reached 83 per cent and females form62 per cent of the total number of students in higher education,with a steady growth in the number of women with Masters andPhD degrees. As a result, 66 per cent of employees in the publicsector, including education, medicine, diplomacy and armed forces,are women, of which 30 per cent are in decision-making positions.The belief that women are entitled to take their place in societyand become effective partners in the development process isgrounded in the UAE Constitution, which guarantees the principlesof social justice for all, in accordance with the precepts of Islam.Under the Constitution, women enjoy the same legal status,claim to titles, access to education, health care and social welfareand the same right to practice professions as men.The guarantees enshrined in the Constitution have been carriedthrough into implementing legislation. Under the terms of theLabour Law, for example, discrimination between men andwomen in terms of equal pay for equal work is proscribed. TheCivil Service Law also allows for extensive maternity leave, andin 2005 civil service rules governing additional payments forchildren and housing were amended to eliminate any gender-baseddiscrimination against employees. New laws have also been issuedto allow divorced or widowed UAE women who were married tonon-citizens to pass on their citizenship to their children.The Government has also acceded to a number of internationalagreements specifically relating to women and children, includingthe Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of DiscriminationAgainst Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights ofthe Child.Over and beyond this legislative framework, the Governmentcontinues to make the necessary efforts to mainstream andpromote gender equality and justice in all government institutions,with special emphasis on schools and the media, and it continuesto work on removing social and psychological barriers that impedethe full integration of women into the labour force, especially in theprivate sector. Although great strides have been made, there is ageneral awareness that the journey has just begun.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T247At local level, Abu Dhabi Executive Council plans to establish adedicated body for the development of women’s policy acrossall departments and authorities in the Abu Dhabi government,in order to protect and advance the role of women throughoutsociety – in the workplace, in the family and in the community.The intention is to build on the existing strengths and good workof federal and emirate resources, including the General Women’sUnion and the Abu Dhabi Family Development Foundation.POLITICAL PARTICIPATIONAs already outlined in the Government section, 2007 was a trulyremarkable year in terms of political participation in the UAE.Since early 2006, two female ministers have sat at the Cabinettable with responsibility for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and theMinistry of Social Affairs and two others were appointed in 2008.However, it was the inclusion of 1189 women among the 6689people nominated to membership of the electoral colleges in eachof the seven emirates, these being empowered to elect half theseats to the 40-member parliamentary body, the FederalNational Council, the candidacy of 63 women in the subsequentelections, and the swearing-in of nine national women to the FNCthat broke new ground. The nine women hold 22.5 per cent of theseats in parliament, according the UAE the distinct honour of beingnot only unique in the region but one of the few countries in theworld with such a high percentage of female parliamentarians.THE GENERAL WOMEN’S UNIONThe General Women’s Union has been a key player in theGovernment’s strategy to create a supportive and empoweringenvironment for women. Originally entitled the UAE Women’sFederation, the GWU was established in 1975 under the leadershipof HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak with the aim of bringingtogether under one umbrella all the women’s societies in thecountry. In the intervening years, the government-funded GWUhas brought to the fore many inter-related issues of concern forwomen, children and the family, and it has been instrumental inWith nine womenholding 22.5 per centof the seats inparliament, the UAEis not only unique inthe region but alsoone of the fewcountries worldwidewith such a highpercentage of femaleparliamentarians.@www.uaeinteract.com/women

248 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8The range and focus ofthe concerns andexpertise of theGeneral Women’sUnion has evolved asthe needs of womenhave developed.introducing handicraft, health education, religious education andliteracy programmes throughout the UAE. It also provides vocationaltraining, job placement services, family mediation services andcontinues to play a major role in assisting economic independencethrough the establishment of small businesses.As the needs of women have developed, so the range and focusof the GWU’s concerns and expertise have evolved. The GWU has,amongst its many duties, responsibility for suggesting new laws oramendments to existing laws. It researches matters pertinent towomen and makes recommendations to the relevant ministriesand government departments. In this context, the GWU wasinstrumental in 2001 in the issuance of the new civil service lawthat extends maternity leave and the issuance in 2003 of a lawestablishing the Supreme Council for Mother and Child, which isdirectly affiliated to the Office of the President and chaired bySheikha Fatima. The GWU was also instrumental in reviewingthe country's draft social status law governing family relations.In addition, the GWU plays a significant role in women’s affairsat regional and international levels. In particular, it maintainsstrong Arab and international links with women’s organisationsand is affiliated to the Arab Women’s Federation, the InternationalWomen’s Federation and the International Family Organisation.The GWU has participated in all of the UN-sponsored worldconferences on women over the last few decades, culminating inBeijing in 1995, the largest conference in the history of theUnited Nations. Subsequently, GWU focused on the necessarymeasures at a national level to activate CEDAW and to implementthe recommendations of the Beijing Declaration.In this context, the GWU was intimately involved in The NationalStrategy for the Advancement of Women, a joint initiative withUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UnitedNations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), a number oflocal government agencies and NGOs. The strategy’s purpose wasto activate the role of women and their positive participation ineducation, economy, information, social work, health, legislatureand environment, and political and executive fields. The effect of

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T249the strategy was to raise the debate on female participation to a newlevel with a rhetoric that unapologetically assumes gender equalityand focuses on the removal of obstacles to that participation.This focus also extends beyond the UAE’s borders: the UAEGovernment, along with UAE-based NGOs led by the UAE RedCrescent, have contributed financially and in kind to assist manydeveloping countries and regions affected by natural disasters,armed conflicts and foreign occupation where women suffer frompoverty, dangerous diseases, violence, displacement and violationof human rights. Contributions were directed to the implementationof social development programmes and advancement of womenin these countries.The United Arab Emirates was re-elected to membership ofthe Women’s Committee of the UN Economic and Social Councilfrom 2006 to 2010.In 2007, 200 womenbenefited from thePolitical EmpowermentProgramme and areport entitled ‘TowardsWomens’ PoliticalEmpowerment in theUAE’ was jointly issuedby UNIFEM andwomen’s institutions inthe UAE.WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCEAlthough women are high achievers in the educational field andare well-represented in public sector employment, the challengeis to increase female participation in the private sector. Theconsensus is that national women stand an equal if not greaterchance of employment in the private sector, compared to men.‘These women are qualified, have effective communication skills,and are extremely confident’.There are several reasons, however, why the ratio of female tomale participation in the workforce is relatively low. Firstly, thenumber of males between the ages of 15 and 65 years (2.12million in 2005) far exceeds the female figure (838,941), mainlybecause foreign workers are predominantly male; secondly, somecompanies restrict the numbers of females employed; thirdly,UAE society is patriarchal and the changing of traditional viewsconcerning a woman’s place in the family is a slow process;fourthly, although women are well-represented at every educationallevel, it is no longer enough for women to gain a qualification –it is vital that what women choose to do in tertiary educationshould be relevant to the needs of the ever more technologically@www.uaeinteract.com/women

250 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8The UAEBusinesswomen’sCouncil, a nationwidenetwork of business,professional andacademic women, wasset-up in 2002,supported by theFederation ofChambers ofCommerce andIndustry.Women now constitute22.4 per cent of the UAE’slabour force, up from only9.6 per cent in 1986.challenging workplace. In addition, many UAE women ceaseworking after marriage and bearing children, partly because ofan insufficiency of childcare centres and partly because maternalcare is considered to be more beneficial for their children.Nevertheless, women now constitute 22.4 per cent of the UAE'slabour force, up from only 9.6 per cent in 1986.WOMEN IN BUSINESSThe UAE Businesswomen Council (UAEBC), a nationwide networkof business, professional and academic women, was set-up in2002, supported by the Federation of Chambers of Commerceand Industry (FCCI). The Businesswomen Council has over 12,000members, running investments worth more than Dh25 billion(US$6.81 billion) in various fields, including trade, industry, finance,real estate, tourism, fairs and exhibitions, construction and services.In order to focus on the role of women in development, thecouncil, with the support of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerceand Industry (ADCCI), organised The Women’s Global EconomicForum in Abu Dhabi from 18 to 20 November 2007. The 850participants in the forum included businesswomen, representativesof ministries, governmental departments, the private sector,chambers of commerce and industry, business councils andassociations for women, as well as national committees on womenin the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)and other Arab countries.At the same time, Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Group (ADBW) isimplementing a number of major training initiatives in cooperationwith trading and educational partners to provide valuable workexperience for women and encourage female entrepreneurs.Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) is providing womenentrepreneurs in the UAE with assistance for small and mediumventures, from compiling feasibility studies to consultancy in allareas, from setting up business to availability of finance.As mentioned above, the GWU has also been instrumental inassisting women to set up small businesses. In 2007 it launcheda programme funded by Women In Technology (WIT), the USState Department-funded programme that offers training to women

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T251in information technology, personal skills and professional skillsdevelopment in the hope of encouraging female entrepreneurs.WOMEN AND THE FAMILYFor many years now, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak has presidedover a number of national and international organisations thatare concerned with women's and family issues that contributeeffectively to the advancement of women. Besides the GWU,which is described above, these include the Higher Council forChildhood and Motherhood, established in 2003, the FamilyDevelopment Foundation, established in 2006, her honorarypresidency of the Red Crescent, and her role in the establishment ofthe Women Refugees Fund and the special Fund for RefugeeMothers. Indeed, Sheikha Fatima was honoured by the UnitedNations in 2007 in recognition of her outstanding contributionsto the empowerment of women in the UAE and of her invaluablecontribution to social and philanthropic initiatives in variousparts of the world in the areas of health, education, resettlementof refugees and assistance to people with special needs.@www.uaeinteract.com/women

252 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Sheikha Fatima hasunveiled an initiative tolaunch a WorldwideFamily Forum (WFF) asa platform forpromoting familyvalues, as well as theculture of peaceful coexistenceamongnations at regional andinternational levels.First ladies of the Arab world(L-R) Leila Zine el-Abidine ofTunisia, Suzanne Mubarak ofEgypt, Queen Rania of Jordan,Sheikha Sabika Al Khalifa ofBahrain and Andree Lahoud ofLebanon pose for a pictureduring the third meeting ofArab Women Organisation inAbu Dhabi, 27 May 2007.Family life has been a major focus of Sheikha Fatima’s workand in 2006 she established the Sheikha Fatima bint MubarakAward for the Distinguished Woman in the Arab Family tohonour distinguished pioneers and to highlight the distinctive rolethat Arab women play in the family and society.Sheikha Fatima has also unveiled an initiative to launch aWorldwide Family Forum (WFF) as a platform for promotingfamily values, as well as the culture of peaceful co-existence amongnations at regional and international levels. Sheikha Fatima hascalled on active family organisations worldwide to meet in AbuDhabi and evolve a mechanism to implement the initiative.During 2007, Sheikha Fatima was awarded the InternationalFamily Organisation Medal for her pioneering role in humanitarianaffairs and her strong support for the stability of the family,locally, regionally and at an international level.Sheikha Fatima also assumed the role of Chairwoman of theArab Women’s Organisation (AWO) in 2007. Launched in March2003, the AWO seeks to achieve women's empowerment in theArab world and enhance their role within the family and society.The AWO, which groups the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Tunisia,Algeria, Sudan, Syria, Oman, Palestine, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt,Mauritania, Yemen and Jordan, also aims to address women'sissues in regional and international forums in order to raiseawareness of the situation of Arab women.During her two-year tenure as AWO's Chairwoman, SheikhaFatima will focus on the following issues: activating a mediacharter to improve the image of Arab women and counteractnegative stereotyping; encouraging dialogue among cultures;promoting peaceful co-existence; rejecting conflict and wars; andengendering strategic dialogue among Arab youth.The First Ladies of 15 Arab league member countries or theirrepresentatives participated in the AWO’s Higher Council meetingheld in Abu Dhabi on 27 May 2007. During the meeting the HigherCouncil launched the Overseas Arab Women network, which isfunded by Sheikha Fatima as part of her ongoing support foradvancing the status of Arab women and establishing strong linksbetween Arab women living overseas and their home countries.

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T253HEALTHThe UAE has a comprehensive, government-funded health serviceand a rapidly developing private health sector that delivers a highstandard of health care to the population. Most of the infectiousdiseases like malaria, measles and poliomyelitis that were onceendemic in the UAE have been eradicated, while pre-natal andpost-natal care is on a par with the world's most developedcountries: the new-born (neonate) mortality rate has been reducedto 5.54 per 1000 and infant mortality to 7.7 per 1000. Maternalmortality rates have dropped to 0.01 for every 100,000, primarilydue to the fact that almost all deliveries in the country take placein hospitals under direct medical supervision.As a consequence of this high standard of care at all stages ofthe healthcare system, life expectancy at birth in the UAE, at78.3 years, has reached levels similar to those in Europe andNorth America.To date, health care in the UAE has, by and large, been fundedby the Government. As with other sectors, this emphasis isevolving and public-private partnerships are to the fore in theGovernment’s efforts to meet the high costs of satisfying expecteddemand from a rising population in a challenging market and toincrease effectiveness and efficiency. In any case, the perceptionis that private-sector investment in health care is highly beneficialfor patients as it creates competition and encourages governmentmedical facilities to improve their standards.The major direction for public policy within this area is thedevelopment of the organisational and legal frameworks basedon best practice in order to upgrade the private and public sectorhealth service capabilities and formulate a public policy that setsthe priorities for health services development within the sector.Pre-natal and postnatalcare in the UAEis on a par withthe world’s mostdeveloped countries:the new-born mortalityrate has been reducedto 5.54 per 1000and infant mortalityto 7.7 per 1000.NEW FRAMEWORK IN ABU DHABIHealthcare delivery in Abu Dhabi is undergoing a significanttransition that will affect the entire spectrum of stakeholders:patients (citizens and expatriates), providers and those responsiblefor planning, assuring the quality of services and financing the@www.uaeinteract.com/health

254 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8health system. Key objectives are to improve quality of carethrough application of rigorous service standards and performancetargets for all, expand access to services, shift from public toprivate providers safely and efficiently so that private providers,rather than government, service healthcare needs, with the roleof government restricted to the development and enforcementof new, world-class healthcare standards.Abu Dhabi Emirate is, therefore, endeavouring to create anenvironment and regulatory framework conducive to private sectorinvestment in health care. The Health Authority – Abu Dhabi(HAAD) was established under Law No. 1 for 2007 to take overfrom the General Authority for Health Services and the AbuDhabi Health Services Company (ADHSC), to be known as SIHHA,was also established in 2007, as a Dh1 billion public joint stockcompany. Ownership of all health and medical facilities, property,including land, employees, as well as all contracts and agreementswere transferred to the new company, which is an independentcorporate body, enjoying full legal status. ADHSC will partner inpublic-private-partnerships and oversee public sector healthcareprovision assets, as well as manage preventive programmes andhealth services in remote regions (e.g., the Western Region ofthe emirate).A new comprehensivehealth insurancescheme for Abu Dhabiwill cover treatmentin public and privatehospitals, and willinclude a clear andtransparentreimbursement process,and affordable accessfor all residents.HEALTH INSURANCEOne of the more radical developments in the system in recentyears has been the introduction of compulsory health insurance.Residents of Abu Dhabi will be covered by a comprehensiveinsurance scheme introduced by HAAD under the terms of LawNo. 23 for 2005. The new scheme, covering treatment in publicand private hospitals, will phase out health cards, which will notbe renewed on expiration. Hallmarks of the new system include aclear and transparent reimbursement process, affordable accessfor all residents, and reliable funding for quality health care inAbu Dhabi.The first phase of healthcare insurance cover is being enacted forall expatriate employees working for Abu Dhabi-based ministries,federal and local organisations and private companies with more

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T255than 1000 employees. A comprehensive health insurance schemefor nationals is being established in the second half of 2007.Initially, the National Health Insurance Company (Daman) willhandle policies for the government sector, while the privatesector scheme will be covered by a number of private companies.Employers will meet the insurance costs of expatriates and theirfamilies. In the case of citizens from Abu Dhabi, the emirate willmeet insurance costs. A capitalisation fund has been establishedto allow for the future health costs in the emirate, predicted in2025 to be five times higher than today. A charitable fund willcontinue to operate for underinsured expatriates and also covermore serious medical conditions such as cancer, dialysis, polytrauma and disability.A new unified health insurance system in Dubai for nationalsand non-nationals is also planned and it is expected that thescheme will eventually be rolled out across the country.A capitalisation fundhas been establishedto allow for the futurehealth costs in theemirate, predicted in2025 to be five timeshigher than today.NEW MEDICAL FACILITIESPublic hospitals in the UAE offer general and specialised medicaland surgical services and many have telemedicine links with majorhospitals abroad. In addition to their medical duties, public hospitalsalso serve as educational institutions for UAE University’s medicaland science students.@www.uaeinteract.com/health

256 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Despite the impressive healthcare infrastructure already in placeAbu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda 2007/2008 explainsthat as the healthcare needs of the population change, facilities andinstitutions must change as well: ‘Ageing facilities need updating,new, world-class institutions are require and the professionalworkforce, in particular needs to grow’.The Abu Dhabi government has, therefore, announced thefollowing major infrastructure investment projects to improvehealthcare provision in the emirate:Egyptian First Lady SuzanneMubarak (L) and Jordan'sPrincess Haya bint Al Hussein(R) wife of Dubai's RulerSheikh Mohammed bin RashidAl Maktoum, visit the RashedPediatric Therapy Centre inDubai, May 2007.Strategic partnershipswith the world's besthealthcare institutionsand professionals willeventually enable AbuDhabi to becomeone of the mostreputable healthcarehubs in the region.New Hospital at Al MafraqNew Hospital at Al AinOncology Centre of ExcellenceWestern Region InfrastructureGrant to Oasis HospitalHealth Information System (HIS)Renovation of Al Jazirah facilityNew wards Al Ain HospitalThe SKMC Cardiac ProgrammeDh 300 millionDh 300 millionDh 300 millionDh 230 millionDh 150 millionDh 140 millionDh 100 millionDh 25 millionDh 25 millionAttracting the world's best healthcare institutions and professionalsto the country through the forging of strategic partnerships is akey component of the government's new health policy, whichwill eventually enable the emirate to become one of the mostreputable healthcare hubs in the wider region.These relationships are already bearing fruit: for example, undera ten-year agreement between HAAD and the US-based JohnsHopkins Medicine, the latter assumed managerial and operationaloversight of the 469-bed Tawam Hospital, one of the UAE’s largestand most prestigious. As well as assessment of the hospital’s needsand implementation of management systems, the agreementincludes establishment of centres of excellence in a range ofspecialist clinical areas, access by healthcare professionals andpatients to the latest information from the Johns HopkinsHospital in Baltimore USA, and training of local medical staff.Tawam Hospital opened a new 20-bed, state-of-the art intensivecare unit, the largest in the country, in early 2007. It boasts the

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T257latest in ICU technology and is set to become one of the UAE'sbest-equipped ICU's capable of providing world-class critical carefor all ages.The Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, which opened inAbu Dhabi in 2006, is the first initiative of a partnership betweenMubadala Development Company and Imperial College London.The centre is expected to become the leading diabetes resourcein the region.HAAD also signed a partnership agreement with Cleveland Clinicin 2006, ranked one of the top three hospitals in the USA, todesign and build a new pre-eminent, first-class specialty hospitalover the coming three years. In June 2007, HAAD entered into afurther agreement with the Cleveland Clinic in which it will takeover the management of the 550-bed Sheikh Khalifa Hospital(SKMC), the 120-bed Behaviour Sciences Pavilion, and the 100-bed Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Centre, as well as more than 12specialised outpatient clinics and nine primary healthcare centresin various parts of the city.A four-year agreement has also been signed by HAAD withBangkok-based Bumrungrad International Limited (BIL) to managethe popular Al Mafraq hospital, which currently has an in-patientcapacity of 460 acute-care beds, plus 14 intensive-care and 14special-care baby unit beds, and is visited by an estimated 310,000patients, including more than 25,000 inpatients annually. Thehospital will be managed according to international clinical bestpractice and a new modern hospital building will be constructedon an adjacent site, replacing the current facility by mid-2011.HAAD has also signed a partnership agreement with ViennaUniversity, a renowned Austrian medical college and educationalhospital, and the Phamed Company, a leading Austrian healthprovider, to assist in developing the health sector in Al Ain. Thetwo prominent European institutions will manage the Al AinCentral Hospital and a new hospital will be built to internationalstandards, to replace the Central Hospital by 2011.In addition, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of PublicHealth is creating a specialised PhD programme tailored to theneeds and priorities of students in the UAE, which will be offered in@www.uaeinteract.com/healthThe Cleveland Clinic,ranked as one of thetop three hospitals inthe USA, will take overmanagement of the5550-bed SheikhKhalifa Hospital, theBehaviour SciencesPavilion, and the AbuDhabi RehabilitationCentre, as well as morethan 12 specialisedoutpatient clinics andnine primary healthcarecentres in Abu Dhabi.

258 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8‘To ensure that accessand standards areconsistent, genuineaccreditation standardsand a rigorous systemof inspection andquality control acrossall institutions arerequired to lift theoverall standardof health care inthe Emirate.’both Abu Dhabi and Baltimore in the United States, while acollaborative relationship has been established between the JohnsHopkins University School of Medicine Faculty with the Emirateof Abu Dhabi's Medical Education Programme.HAAD also concluded a long-term agreement with the NewEngland Centre for Children (NECC), under the terms of whichthe award-winning Massachusetts-based institute will establish acomprehensive education programme and other much-neededservices for children affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASD)and their families.Overall, Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda points out:‘To ensure that access and standards are consistent, genuineaccreditation standards and a rigorous system of inspection andquality control across all institutions are required to lift theoverall standard of health care in the Emirate. Moreover, thesemeasures need to be accompanied by programmes to upgradethe qualification of doctors, nurses and paramedics, as well asintensified and mandated continuous medical education.’HAAD coordinates its activities with the Federal Ministry ofHealth and its advisory council.NEW HOSPITALSThe Ministry of Health has responsibility for the planning andconstruction of new hospitals, clinics, laboratories, cardiac centresand nursing schools costing over Dh2 billion in Dubai and theother Northern Emirates, including reconstruction of the 200-bed Hope Psychiatric Hospital in Dubai at a total cost of Dh350million; a Dh25 million dental clinic at Hor Al Anz and a radiationprotection laboratory.Plans for Sharjah include a 200-bed obstetrics and gynaecologyhospital costing Dh350 million, five primary health clinics, aDh28 million dental clinic at Khor Fakkan, and a Dh20 millionopen heart surgery centre, which will be the first of its kind inthe Northern Emirates.In Ajman a Dh150 million extension at the Sheikh KhalifaHospital, which will be completed by the end of 2008, will house

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T259a gynaecology ward. In 2008, the Ministry will take delivery of aDh50 million hospital at Masfut, a Dh20 million dental clinic, aDh30 million preventive medicine clinic and a Dh10 millionprimary health centre.In Umm al-Qaiwain, contractors have been invited to submitoffers for building the 200-bed Umm al-Qaiwain hospital at anestimated cost of Dh400 million. Other centres are also underconstruction for preventive medicine, school health, dental andprimary health care.Construction has commenced on the Dh600 million KhalifaSpeciality Hospital in Ra’s al-Khaimah, which will have oncology,cardiology, paediatrics and general surgery units, and the Shamhospital will be extended and renovated at a total cost of Dh100million. A primary healthcare centre at Julfar was opened in@www.uaeinteract.com/healthPresident HH Sheikh Khalifabin Zayed Al Nahyan inspectsa model of the proposedKhalifa Specialty Hospital tobe built in Ra’s al-Khaimah.A new Dh100 millionpublic-privatehealthcare facility wasopened in 2007adjacent to SaqrHospital in Ra’s al-Khaimah.

260 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8August 2007 and plans for the emirate also envisage a Dh10 millionhealth centre and a Dh25 million nursing institute.In Fujairah, Dh25 million will be spent on building a nursingschool and Dh60 million to add a maternity and childcare wardat Fujairah Hospital. The Masafi Hospital, which cost Dh70 million,opened at the end of 2007.The upmarket, private Dh370 million, 160-bed Royal Hospitalin Sharjah was also opened in early 2007.DUBAI STRATEGIC PLANHealth issues are a primary concern of the Dubai Strategic Plan2015, which sets out to raise the quality of healthcare services andthe well-being of the population. This will be achieved, it claims,by improving governance of the healthcare sector and healthcareplanning; ensuring access to health insurance; encouraging privatehospitals to gain international accreditation; developing licensingstandards for medical staff; and focusing on health awareness toimprove public attitudes towards health.In a move that could act as a template for other Ministry ofHealth public-private partnerships, a consultancy team from DHCChas been given the task of upgrading medical services at the AlBaraha Hospital in partnership with Harvard Medical International.The provision of worldclasshealth facilitiesand educationalinstitutions is alsocentral to the planningof the free zone DubaiHealthcare City, aninitiative by Dubaigovernment-owneddeveloper Tatweer.Dubai Healthcare CityThe provision of world-class health facilities and educationalinstitutions is also central to the planning of the free zone DubaiHealthcare City (DHCC), an initiative by Dubai governmentowneddeveloper Tatweer. Infrastructure spending on this freezonedevelopment will reach Dh6.6 billion (US$1.8 billion).The first phase, behind Wafi City in Dubai, is approximately380,902 square metres (4.1 million square feet) in size. The secondphase, dedicated to wellness facilities, will cover about 176,515square metres (1.9 million square feet) and is due for completionby 2010.DHCC announced in mid-2007 the establishment of the worldrenownedBoston University Institute for Dental Research andEducation Dubai and the Boston University Dental Health Centre

S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T261Dubai in the free zone. The Dental Health Centre is scheduled toopen early in 2008 and the first trainees will enter the Institutein July 2008. Graduate training programmes will be offered inmost of the recognised dental specialties.The Boston centres will join other leading world class institutionsat DHCC, including the Harvard Medical School – Dubai Centre,Mayo Clinic, AstraZeneca, Harvard Medical International and theAmerican Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.It was also announced that Dh1 billion is being spent to buildWorldCare’s Wellness Centre in phase two, to be developed withthe Duke University Health System and Partners Healthcare System.With over 80 per cent of the GCC adult population suffering fromsedentary diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol,smoking related illnesses and obesity, this centre will target a largesegment of the population in the GCC, Arab world and Europe.By shifting healthdelivery responsibilitiesinto private hands andpartnering with theprivate sector toupgrade existingpublic facilities, thegovernment can focuson critical public healthmatters such asprevention, publiceducation andawareness.PRIMARY CARE AND PREVENTIONThe ageing of the population and changed lifestyles have led toan increase in the incidence of a range of diseases requiringextensive treatment and care, including cancer, respiratory andcardiovascular disease. In addition, according to internationalstatistics, the UAE now has one of the world’s highest prevalencelevels of type II diabetes in adults. Equally alarming is the highprevalence of asthma and obesity in children. Treating thesediseases is expensive, and if future incidence of disease is notreduced through preventive measures, the cost of treatment andthe loss of human capital through disease will continue toadversely impact economic growth.Abu Dhabi Executive Council Policy Agenda 2007/2008 pointsout that by shifting health delivery responsibilities into privatehands and partnering with the private sector to upgrade existingpublic facilities, the government can focus on critical public healthmatters such as prevention, public education and awareness. TheHealth Authority has prioritised and set ambitious improvementtargets in 12 key areas including diabetes, breast cancer, infectiousdisease and road death prevention. In addition, the emirate will@www.uaeinteract.com/health

262 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8continue to form new partnerships with international organisationsto develop and implement these campaigns.The hospitals work in collaboration with Primary Health Centres,the focus of which is maternal and child welfare, school healthand health education. As part of an effort to enforce higherstandards, HAAD recently closed 25 primary health care (PHC)clinics and will establish new facilities to include additional servicessuch as dentistry. The redefinition of PHCs includes a strengthenedrole for general practitioners to serve as more effective gatekeepersfor hospital care and a focus on making PHCs more attractive toconsumers who have resisted these institutions in the past.After more than 30years of hard work, theUAE has become thefirst country in the Araband Mediterraneanregion to be formallydeclared free of malariaby the World HealthOrganisation.DISEASE CONTROLThirty-six infectious diseases are included in the control programmesthat are jointly organised by the Ministry of Health with relevantministries and agencies in order to effectively coordinate suitableintervention methods, including vaccination, vector control, healtheducation and chemoprophylaxis. The elimination of polio, measlesand neonatal tetanus are examples of the significant successesachieved in this area.In addition, after more than 30 years of hard work, the UAE hasbecome the first country in the Arab and Mediterranean regionto be formally declared free of malaria by the World HealthOrganisation (WHO).The UAE has been working to reduce and eradicate malaria – adisease that kills one million people worldwide every year – since1977 when the first Malaria Control Department was set up.Gradually, the UAE perfected its onslaught against malaria andthere have been no local infections of the disease since 1997.But certification does not mean that the Emirates can relax sinceneighbouring countries still harbour the disease, and the country'shigh number of foreign residents and tourists means that there is aconstant threat of reintroduction. Therefore, the National MalariaProgramme’s main focus will be the prevention of reintroduction ofmalaria and the maintenance of the malaria-free status. Effectivesurveillance and vector control measures will address the factors ofvulnerability and receptivity in all parts of the UAE.