ABU DHABI: Families should have a direct role in shaping the public spaces and services they use, UAE Minister of Family Sana bint Mohammed Suhail said during LIVEX 2026 in Abu Dhabi, calling for a shift from designing spaces for families to designing them with families.
Suhail made the remarks during a panel on inclusive urban development at the inaugural Liveability and Investment Exhibition, or LIVEX 2026, being held at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from September 29 to October 1.
The discussion focused on how city planning can respond to the needs of different groups, including children, families, people of determination and older residents. Abu Dhabi’s Department of Community Development (DCD) is leading the social-sector participation at the event, where it is showcasing programmes intended to improve quality of life and community participation.
From designing for families to designing with them
Suhail said Abu Dhabi had assessed 23 sites in 2023 to better understand how children and families interact with public spaces.
According to figures she presented during the panel, a neighbourhood pilot that followed the assessment recorded a 65 per cent increase in play and a 42 per cent reduction in screen time. Use of the space by younger children was also reported to have tripled.
The figures were presented by the minister during the LIVEX discussion and were not independently reproduced in the official sources reviewed for this report.
The approach reflects a broader policy direction in Abu Dhabi that seeks to bring the needs of residents into the planning process from the outset rather than adding accessibility or family-oriented features after a project has been designed.
The minister said government entities need to work together to create a city that adapts to family needs.
Abu Dhabi’s ‘City for Family’ framework
Suhail also outlined Abu Dhabi’s City for Family framework, which she said comprises five goals, 15 strategies and 63 actions covering areas including housing, mobility, health, education and governance.
The framework identifies four groups whose needs are to be considered in planning: people of determination, children aged up to eight, families and caregivers, and senior citizens.
The emphasis is therefore broader than playgrounds or family facilities. It places family considerations alongside housing, transportation, public services and access to essential infrastructure.
The UAE government has separately designated 2026 as the Year of the Family, with the national initiative focused on strengthening family bonds and supporting Emirati families through policies, programmes and services. The government’s Year of the Family platform says its priorities include strengthening everyday family connections, supporting positive values and providing families with practical guidance and tools.
The UAE’s National Family Policy, approved in 2018, also identifies family relations, child protection, family protection, balance of roles and the re-engineering of family services among its core components.
Accessibility extends beyond ramps
The LIVEX discussion also addressed accessibility for people of determination.
Shamis Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, said Abu Dhabi’s People of Determination strategy includes 30 initiatives across six areas, involving government, private-sector and third-sector partners.
He said the strategy is intended to improve access and independence in areas including education, employment, transport and services.
Accessibility was also discussed as something broader than physical infrastructure. Dr Muhannad Alazzeh, secretary-general of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said accessible environments should also account for information, communication and services, with people with disabilities involved in monitoring progress.
The DCD said its participation at LIVEX includes the Disability-Friendly Cities and Communities Framework, which links accessibility in facilities, services and technology with participation in family and community life.
A wider liveability agenda
The family-focused discussion forms part of a broader conversation at LIVEX 2026 about how Abu Dhabi can combine urban development with quality of life.
Organised by the Department of Municipalities and Transport, LIVEX is taking place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from September 29 to October 1. The exhibition brings together government leaders, investors, developers, planners and other urban-development stakeholders around six themes: liveability, culture, education, economy, energy and health.
The event’s organisers describe liveability as encompassing factors such as mobility, public spaces, housing, accessibility, community and opportunities, rather than infrastructure alone.
For Abu Dhabi, the family-design approach places everyday experiences alongside major infrastructure and investment decisions. It also reflects the emirate’s wider effort to connect social policy with urban planning, so that public spaces and services are shaped around the people who use them.
What did the UAE Minister of Family say about city design?
Sana bint Mohammed Suhail called for families to be involved directly in designing public spaces rather than having spaces designed for families without their participation.
What is Abu Dhabi’s City for Family framework?
It is a framework presented by the UAE Minister of Family that she said contains five goals, 15 strategies and 63 actions covering areas including housing, mobility, health, education and governance.
Which groups are covered by the City for Family framework?
The framework focuses on people of determination, children aged 0–8, families and caregivers, and senior citizens.
Where was the discussion held?
The discussion took place during LIVEX 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. The three-day exhibition runs from September 29 to October 1, 2026.
What is LIVEX 2026?
LIVEX 2026 is Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Liveability and Investment Exhibition, organised by the Department of Municipalities and Transport to examine liveability, urban development and investment.
What does accessibility mean beyond physical infrastructure?
The panel discussion highlighted access to information, communication and services in addition to physical accessibility.
How does this relate to the UAE Year of the Family?
The UAE designated 2026 as the Year of the Family, with the initiative focused on strengthening family bonds and supporting families through policies, services and programmes.
