· The agreement strengthens collaboration in technical and engineering support, as well as project supervision, contributing to the development of care facilities.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 07 August 2026: Dubai Municipality and the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children have signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen collaboration in the development of care and protection facilities.
The partnership will combine the Foundation’s expertise in care and rehabilitation services with Dubai Municipality’s engineering, technical and project management capabilities. It aims to establish an integrated model for care and protection facilities that meet the highest engineering and humanitarian standards while improving the quality of services and environments provided to beneficiaries.
The agreement supports the Dubai Government’s vision to enhance quality of life and advance best practices in the design and development of care facilities.
The agreement was signed by His Excellency Shaikha Saeed Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, and Eng. Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality.
Under the agreement, Dubai Municipality will provide technical and engineering support throughout the different stages of the Foundation’s projects. This will include feasibility studies, design development, the review of drawings and technical specifications, supervision during implementation and project handover.
Dubai Municipality will also support the preparation of maintenance plans and the development of operation and maintenance contracts, helping ensure that projects are delivered and managed in accordance with approved technical and engineering standards.
The collaboration will draw on Dubai Municipality’s expertise in engineering design, safety standards, space efficiency and accessibility. This will contribute to the development of flexible and sustainable care facilities that respond to the current and future needs of beneficiaries.
The partnership places particular emphasis on the beneficiary experience. Care 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 considerations will support the creation of environments that promote safety, privacy and stability while contributing to beneficiaries’ psychological and social wellbeing. The design approach will also balance personal privacy with safe social interaction and respond to the needs of women, children and other beneficiary groups.
The facilities will support the delivery of care, rehabilitation, psychological, social and educational programmes within an environment designed to strengthen protection, recovery and empowerment.
His Excellency Shaikha Saeed Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, said: “This agreement marks an important milestone in the Foundation’s efforts to further enhance its services and advance shelter and care facilities through a more specialised and sustainable approach. It recognises design and engineering as essential parts of the care and rehabilitation ecosystem and reflects our belief that the quality of care is closely linked to the environment in which it is delivered.
“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 added: “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.
“The model will establish reference standards and design principles that can guide the future development of shelter and care facilities. It reflects Dubai’s vision of creating sustainable environments that place people, dignity and quality of life at the centre of development. We aspire for it to serve as a benchmark within the UAE and internationally.”
The partnership will also strengthen integration between government entities and support the exchange of specialised expertise. It reflects a shared understanding that the physical environment is an integral part of the wider protection, care and recovery ecosystem.
Eng. Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, said: “Our collaboration with the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children marks a new chapter in developing a pioneering model for care and protection facilities. It advances the concept of a ‘human-centred care environment’ as a core element of specialised care and aligns 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.
The collaboration builds on the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children’s experience in providing care and rehabilitation services to women and children who are survivors of violence, abuse and human trafficking.
Over the years, the Foundation has developed a specialised model that has attracted interest from local, regional and international entities seeking to learn from its integrated care model and specialised practices.
Building on this expertise, both parties will develop an integrated model for the design and delivery of care facilities that incorporates beneficiaries’ needs from the earliest planning stages and translates practical experience into engineering and technical standards. These standards will help guide the future design and development of care facilities.