DCD survey reveals 93.5% of Abu Dhabi residents feel safe walking alone at night – News

Happiness and well-being index shows 70% of the capital’s population is satisfied with their quality of life

According to the results of a survey conducted by the Department of Community Development (DCD), more than 93 percent of Abu Dhabi residents feel safe walking alone at night.

As many as 82,761 community members participated in the third round of the Quality of Life Survey (QOLS), which included several key indicators based on the results of the first two rounds. These indicators include housing, employment opportunities, income, household wealth, work-life balance, health, education and skills, security and personal safety, social relations, civic engagement and governance, environmental quality, social and cultural cohesion, social and community services, Digital quality of life, well-being and well-being.

The survey is based on global models and concepts applied by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to help analyze and improve quality of life in all aspects. Other indicators were added to this survey to identify the needs of community members in Abu Dhabi.

In the safety and personal security indicator, 93.5% of Abu Dhabi residents said they felt safe walking alone at night, an improvement from 93% in 2020 and higher than all OECD countries.

The Happiness and Wellbeing Index shows that 70% of Abu Dhabi’s population is satisfied with their quality of life, which is higher than the OECD average of 67%. On a scale of 0 to 10, residents’ happiness rose to 7.63 from 7.17 in 2020.

The social relationship indicator results show that 74% agree or strongly agree that they are satisfied with their social relationship, 73% are satisfied with family life, and 74% are long-term or slightly satisfied. The proportion who spent more time with family increased from 23.9% in the second period to 39.2%. Those who saw friends a few times a week reported the highest level of happiness at 7.49.

As for social and cultural cohesion indicators, UAE citizens have very high levels of national pride and community identity, as do expats.

In terms of religious freedom, 88.6% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I feel religious freedom in Abu Dhabi”.

The Digital Quality of Life indicator, which monitors access to digital data and access to information and communication technology, found that 88.7 percent of residents had internet service at home, up from 85.2 percent in 2020.

Among the health indicators, 51.2% of the elderly answered that they suffer from chronic health problems. Participants identified causes of stress, including financial burden, workload, family relationships, job security, and workplace relationships.

In the exercise indicator, 60% of participants said lack of time was one of the main reasons for not exercising.

The findings support the sector’s efforts to develop and protect society by integrating modern lifestyles with cultural values, and to achieve social harmony with all walks of life.

DCD Chairman Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili said the survey was “the voice of society”.

“It’s evolving based on the needs of all groups.”

The survey is written in six languages: Arabic, English, Bengali, Hindi, Tagalog and Telugu to maximize participation and gather information from different segments of society.

During the three-cycle survey from 2020 to 2022, nearly 200,000 community members (including citizens and residents) participated and provided opinions and suggestions.