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Dubai to develop 'people-centred' care and protection facilities for women, children
The design approach will balance personal privacy with safe social interaction, and support the delivery of care, rehabilitation, psychological, social, and educational programmes
- PUBLISHED: Fri 7 Aug 2026, 2:11 PM
A new pioneering model for care and protection facilities is set to be developed in Dubai, focusing on the psychological and social wellbeing of women and children.
Dubai Municipality and the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) have signed a cooperation agreement to establish an integrated model for care and protection facilities that meet the highest engineering and humanitarian standards.
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The partnership aims to combine the foundation’s expertise in care and rehabilitation services with the municipality’s engineering, technical, and project management capabilities. It also supports the Dubai Government’s vision to enhance the quality of life and advance best practices in the design and development of care facilities.
The agreement was signed by Shaikha Saeed Al Mansouri, Acting Director-General of DFWAC, and Eng. Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality.
Human-centred design
Under the agreement, Dubai Municipality will provide technical and engineering support throughout the different stages of the foundation’s projects. This includes feasibility studies, design development, review of drawings and technical specifications, supervision during implementation, and project handover.
The municipality will also support the preparation of maintenance plans and the development of operation and maintenance contracts to ensure that projects are delivered and managed in accordance with approved standards.
The collaboration will draw on the municipality’s expertise in engineering design, safety standards, space efficiency, and accessibility to develop flexible and sustainable care facilities that respond to the current and future needs of beneficiaries.
Particular emphasis will be placed on the beneficiary experience. The facilities will be designed around the requirements of care and rehabilitation services, taking into account the organisation of internal spaces, lighting, colour schemes, ventilation, service facilities, and shared areas.
These elements aim to create environments that promote safety, privacy, and stability while contributing to the beneficiaries’ psychological and social wellbeing. The design approach will balance personal privacy with safe social interaction, responding to the specific needs of women, children, and other groups.
Empowerment and recovery
Shaikha Saeed Al Mansouri noted that the agreement marks an important milestone in the foundation’s efforts to advance shelter and care facilities through a more specialised and sustainable approach.
“Shelter facilities are integrated humanitarian environments that play a vital role in fostering safety, stability, and privacy. They also support beneficiaries’ psychological and social wellbeing throughout their recovery and empowerment journey,” she said.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to translate the foundation’s extensive experience in shelter and care services into an integrated engineering model that considers beneficiaries’ needs from the earliest stages of planning and design. We aspire for it to serve as a benchmark within the UAE and internationally.”
Eng Bader Anwahi highlighted that the collaboration advances the concept of a ‘human-centred care environment’ as a core element of specialised care, aligning the planning and delivery of these facilities with international best practices.
“Dubai Municipality remains committed to strengthening government integration and contributing its engineering and technical expertise to the planning, design, and delivery of engineering projects. Our approach places people at the centre of the planning process and supports the creation of safe and sustainable environments that enhance quality of life and wellbeing,” he said.
The new facilities will support the delivery of care, rehabilitation, psychological, social, and educational programmes within an environment designed to strengthen protection, recovery, and empowerment.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is an associate editor with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.