Mansoor bin Mohammed chairs People of Determination Committee meeting

- Mansoor bin Mohammed reviews initiatives and projects of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination, reviewed the progress of diverse initiatives and projects undertaken by the Committee as part of its 2026 action plan during a meeting of the Committee in Dubai. 

Chairing the meeting, His Highness reviewed outcomes of government efforts at various levels to protect the rights of People of Determination, enhance their independence, and develop inclusive services to raise their quality of life and expand their participation in society. The meeting held at the Roads and Transport Authority was attended by Committee members and representatives of various government entities. 

The meeting assessed progress across several priority areas, including social benefits and services, inclusive transport, accessibility in facilities and buildings, and the use of advanced technologies to enhance government services, in line with the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum affirmed that Dubai continues to develop an integrated system to protect the rights of People of Determination built on coordinated government efforts and the provision of services and opportunities that strengthen their independence and active participation across all facets of life.

His Highness said: “We are committed to ensuring that government initiatives and policies translate into tangible improvements in the lives of People of Determination and their families. This is achieved by developing inclusive services that respond to their needs, ensuring easy access to facilities and services, and enabling them to participate in society with confidence and independence. Coordinated efforts across government entities, alongside measuring the impact of initiatives, remain fundamental to achieving sustainable outcomes that reinforce Dubai’s position as a city for all.”

Dedicated transport facilities 
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reviewed the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) efforts to enhance accessibility and independence for People of Determination. These include more than 1,290 accessible buses and over 14,000 taxis, including 27 equipped for wheelchair users; 2,782 dedicated parking spaces; and full compliance of RTA buildings with the Dubai Universal Design Code. 

Other inclusive facilities include more than 5,000 linear metres of tactile ground surface indicators for people with visual impairments, electric and automatic ramps, audio-visual announcement systems, and assistance request buttons.

His Highness also received a briefing from His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), on the concessions and services provided to People of Determination. These include full exemptions from public parking and public transport fees, Salik tag issuance fees, and vehicle registration and renewal fees, as well as a 50% exemption on driving licence issuance fees and fares for designated taxis serving People of Determination.

The ‘Aber’ mobile vehicle inspection service enables senior citizens and People of Determination to have their vehicles inspected at home or at a location of their choice. It currently operates through 14 mobile units, with plans to increase the fleet to 30 by the end of 2026.

The meeting also included a review of rapid-response vehicles designed to address rainwater accumulation and emergencies. Equipped with four pumps with a combined capacity of 60,000 litres per minute — equivalent to the capacity of 10 conventional pumps or 25 water tankers — the vehicles can operate in water depths of up to 1.8 metres. His Highness also viewed drones equipped with thermal cameras to support field monitoring and assessment, strengthen emergency response, and help protect lives and property.

Committed to inclusiveness
As part of its commitment to inclusive transport, RTA continues to develop public transport facilities that accommodate sensory needs of different community groups. 

The efforts included the establishment of two sensory rooms at Al Satwa and Oud Metha Bus Stations, both of which received certification from the Dubai Autism Center. Customer satisfaction rates reached 91% at Al Satwa Bus Station and 86% at Oud Metha Bus Station during 2025 and 2026.

Usage indicators showed that the two bus stations recorded more than 10,000 trips combined between 2023 and 2025, in addition to 5,802 trips during the first half of 2026. The number of People of Determination using the Dubai Metro also increased by 77.5% between 2023 and 2026, reaching a total of 12,981 users.

Social support
The Committee reviewed the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai’s efforts to develop the system of financial benefits and social services provided to People of Determination. Expenditure on financial benefits exceeded AED101 million up to August 2026, compared with approximately AED118 million in 2025 and AED75.4 million in 2024.

More than 3,500 individuals benefited from the financial benefits, which cover care services and shadow teachers, education and rehabilitation, and assistive devices and technologies. These services help ease the burden on families and enhance opportunities for People of Determination to access education and rehabilitation and lead more independent lives.

The Committee also reviewed the development of eligibility mechanisms, the standardisation of case classifications, and the verification of relevant data. These measures aim to direct support according to actual needs, improve spending efficiency, and ensure the sustainability of services.

Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, affirmed that the development of social support for People of Determination is centred on understanding the needs of individuals and their families and providing benefits and services that respond to those needs with greater efficiency and flexibility.

Her Excellency said: “We are working to develop an integrated system of social benefits and services that places the needs of People of Determination and their families at the forefront of our priorities and helps them achieve greater independence. Our focus is on ensuring that support reaches those entitled to it and developing services that take into account the specific circumstances of each case, ease the burden on families, and enhance opportunities for People of Determination to access education and rehabilitation and participate in community life.”

Inclusive buildings
Dubai Municipality gave a presentation on its efforts to develop an urban environment that accommodates the needs of People of Determination and enhances their access to facilities and services. It highlighted the allocation of residential plots to 121 Emirati nationals who are People of Determination during 2026, while 152 establishments received the ‘Wusool’ Certificate.

The efforts also included training representatives from 726 entities on inclusive building requirements, while 75 individuals benefited from home services provided through the ‘Happiness Vehicle.’ These initiatives support the integration of accessibility standards into the planning, design and development of facilities and services.

Digital solutions 
In the area of government service development, the Committee reviewed the proposed ‘Digital Accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’ initiative, under the slogan ‘A Government That Communicates in a Language Everyone Understands.’ The initiative aims to leverage artificial intelligence technologies to convert government messages and instructions into visual content in sign language, facilitating access to government information and services for individuals with hearing disabilities.

The Committee also reviewed the outcomes of the ‘Dubai Communicates in Sign Language’ initiative, which included 15 initiatives, five in-person workshops and programmes, and four virtual lessons. The initiative also recorded 2,131 downloads of the ‘Sanad’ application, added 35 sign language interpreters to the national database, implemented three community awareness campaigns, and developed a legal terminology guide in sign language.

The ‘Dubai Communicates in Sign Language’ initiative extended its community reach, achieving approximately 23 million interactions, raising awareness of inclusive communication and supporting more inclusive access to information and services.

Monitoring and impact measurement
As part of efforts to unify government initiatives and strengthen collaboration, a smart platform is used to monitor progress and measure the impact of initiatives across six strategic pillars: inclusive education, accessibility, transportation, community empowerment, inclusive healthcare, and inclusive employment. The platform covers 33 initiatives, which are implemented and overseen in coordination with nine government entities: Dubai Sports Council, the Community Development Authority in Dubai, Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Health Authority, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, and Dubai Health.

The Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination will continue its efforts to develop an integrated system that safeguards rights, promotes equal opportunities and strengthens community participation in support of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 and Dubai’s position as a leading model for inclusion and quality of life.