93.5% Abu Dhabi residents feel safe walking alone at night: DCD survey

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More than 93 per cent of Abu Dhabi residents feel safe when walking alone at night, according to results of a survey conducted by the Department of Community Development (DCD).

As many as 82,761 community members participated in the third cycle of the Quality of Life Survey (QOLS), which included several key indicators that were developed based on the results of the previous two rounds. The indicators are housing, job opportunities, revenues, family wealth, work-life balance, health, education and skills, security and personal safety, social relations, civic participation and governance, environment quality, social and cultural cohesion, social and community service, digital quality of life, happiness and well-being.

The survey is based on a global model and concept applied by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to help analyse and improve the quality of life in all its dimensions. Additional indicators were added to this survey to identify the needs of community members in Abu Dhabi.

Key findings of survey

In the indicator of security and personal safety, 93.5 per cent of Abu Dhabi residents reported feeling safe when walking alone at night, improving on 93 per cent recorded in 2020 and higher than all OECD countries.

The happiness and well-being index registered that 70 per cent of Abu Dhabi population were satisfied with the quality of their lives, which is higher than the OECD average of 67 per cent. On a scale from 0 to 10, the level of happiness among the population increased to 7.63, compared to the score of 7.17 in 2020.

The social relations indicators’ results showed the percentage of people who agreed or strongly agreed that they are satisfied with their social relationships is 74 per cent, while the percentage of satisfaction with family life reached 73 per cent, and the percentage of long or a little long time with the family increased to 39.2 per cent compared with 23.9 per cent in the second cycle. The highest rates of happiness were recorded among people who met their friends several times a week at 7.49 points.

As for the social and cultural cohesion indicators, a very high level of national pride and community identity was recorded among Emirati citizens, and a sense of community identity among expatriates.

On religious freedom, 88.6 per cent of individuals expressed that they agree or strongly agree with the phrase: ‘I feel the religious freedom in Abu Dhabi’.

The digital quality of life indicators, which monitors digital access to data, access to information and communication technology, found that 88.7 per cent of residents enjoy internet services in their homes, which is higher than 85.2 per cent recorded in 2020.

Among the health indicators, 51.2 per cent of the elderly answered that they suffer from chronic health problems. Participants identified causes of stress, which were due to financial burdens, workloads, family relationships, job security and workplace relationships.

Among the sports indicators, 60 per cent of participants stated that lack of time is one of the main reasons for not exercising.

Survey is voice of society

The results of the survey support the department's efforts to develop and protect society by combining modern lifestyles with cultural values, and to achieve harmony between society and all sectors of work.

Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the DCD, noted that the survey is the “voice of society”.

“It is continuously developing in line with the needs of all groups.”

The survey was prepared in six languages: Arabic, English, Bengali, Hindi, Tagalog, and Telugu, for maximum participation and gathering of information from different sections of the society.

Over the course of three cycles of the survey between 2020-2022, nearly 200,000 community members — both citizens and residents — participated and offered their opinions and suggestions.