About 94 per cent of community members in Abu Dhabi expressed a sense of security and safety when walking alone at night, according to a ‘Quality of Life’ survey by the Department of Community Development (DCD).

The fourth edition of the survey saw participation of 92,576 individuals representing more than 160 nationalities in line with the department’s aim to measure quality of life indicators for all members of society across various demographics.

The previous editions have engaged about 300,000 citizens and residents. Such a survey allows individuals to actively voice their opinions on key social matters and the overall quality of life in the emirate.

The fourth edition of the survey included 14 main indicators that were developed based on the results of previous rounds. It covered aspects like housing, job opportunities and revenue, family income and wealth, work-life balance, health, education and skills, personal security and safety, social relations, civic participation and governance, environmental quality, social and cultural cohesion, social and community service, quality of life, digital happiness, and well-being.

“Over the course of four rounds, the results of the survey confirmed the excellence Abu Dhabi has shown in many key indicators such as security and digital quality of life. Additionally, it has shown a number of social priorities that require the strengthening of cooperation between entities and partners in a way that serves all segments of society,” Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, chairman of DCD – Abu Dhabi, said.

The satisfaction rate of the participants, who confirmed that they felt safe and had no problem when walking alone at night, was 93.6 per cent, indicating that Abu Dhabi enjoys a safe and stable environment.

About 75.4 per cent of participants in the social relations index indicated that they could rely on relatives and friends when needed. Exactly 73 per cent of participants were happy with the quality time they spent with their family.

34% ‘satisfaction’ with income

In terms of satisfaction with family income, 34.3 per cent of participating heads of households expressed satisfaction or complete satisfaction with their family income. Additionally, 64.7 per cent of employed participants conveyed job satisfaction.

About 70.6 per cent of participants expressed being satisfied with their current housing, and the level of satisfaction with the quality of life reached 6.94 on a scale of 10. Overall, the happiness level within the population hit 7.69 points, up from the 7.63 points recorded in the previous survey.

Engineer Shaikha Alhosani, executive director of the social monitoring and innovation sector at DCD, noted that the survey provides a general overview of the issues that concern society and helps to identify areas of improvement in various aspects of life.

“The survey is one of the methodologies aimed at continuously identifying the challenges faced by society, as it provides accurate information and statistics on which the DCD relies to improve work mechanisms and develop social policies and strategies through sustainable and successful solutions,” Alhosani noted.

The DCD survey is based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicators, applied in 38 countries. The department announced the launch of the fifth edition of the survey. Such initiatives serve as a unique platform to facilitate communication with the community to understand their views in line with internationally recognised methodologies.

The DCD uses the survey to identify social challenges and conduct analyses to develop and implement policies, programmes, and initiatives to enhance the quality of life and social services of all members of society.

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