Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

An opinion poll has been launched to measure the current and expected impact of the Corona pandemic on the social and living conditions of the emirate’s citizens and residents, with their various groups and nationalities.

The poll is being conducted by the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai in collaboration with The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG).

The poll aims to identify the new social needs of individuals, families and owners of small and medium enterprises, in order to provide solutions and develop programs to meet these needs.

CDA called on the citizens and residents in Dubai to participate in the survey and share their views that will have important impact in taking measures and procedures to enhance the safety and welfare of the society, and ease the challenges of its members from the Emiratis and residents at the present time.

CDA indicated that the poll was developed based on the circumstances and changes imposed by the crisis of the corona pandemic on various sectors, including social  economic and educational sectors, and the reflections they had on the daily lifestyle of the society members and families and changing needs and priorities. It stressed the data that the survey will provide utilising the opinions of the participants will provide a clearer view of these reflections, which can be built upon in the development of rapid and practical plans to deal with challenges and lessen the burden of the society members of different groups and nationalities.

The poll launched by CDA  is available in both Arabic, English, Malayalam and Urdu via the https://covid19-survey.questionpro.com., CDA website and its platforms on social media.

Saeed Al Tayer, CEO, Social Planning and Development Sector at CDA, said that the conditions and changes imposed by the corona pandemic globally, the disruption of the economy and the physical distances, resulted in repercussions on society members, which impose a re-examination of programmes and social support plans and an accurate treatment of new challenges and needs.

“Each participation we will receive from the members of the society will contribute to a clearer view of the new needs and challenges. We affirm that reaching effective solutions is only achieved in partnership with members of society and its institutions, and this partnership is what will help us overcome the negative effects of the crisis.”

“The coronavirus pandemic is having a profound and far-reaching effect on every aspect of social and economic life, both in the UAE and around the world. This requires the creation of an effective tool to measure the disease’s impact in order for us to produce indicators that we can then use to build practical and effective solutions to counter the negative effects of the outbreak on all members of society,” said Dr. Ali bin Sebaa Al-Marri, Executive President of MBRSG.

“We are delighted to be cooperating with the CDA in Dubai, with the launch of the opinion poll an effective first step to lead society’s recovery from the pandemic as we commence a phased return to work and as economic activity progressively resumes to its pre-outbreak levels. During the coming period we will be seeking to consolidate existing cooperation by employing the school faculty members’ advanced research expertise, knowledge, and experience to promote the welfare and prosperity of Dubai and all the emirates in the UAE,” he added.

Recently, following the directives of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, to enhance child protection programmes, the Community Development Authority, CDA, announced a unified hotline to provide community members with a 24-hour channel to report cases of abuse, neglect and violence against children.

The hotline will help ensure immediate follow-up of cases with clear procedures and reporting of abuse. The initiative assumes significance in light of the prevailing distance education policy and the current circumstances keeping children away from educational and health institutions.

CDA explained that the decision to unify the hotline was made after several meetings with stakeholders in Dubai aimed at improving child protection efforts in the emirate.