The UAE Ministry of Family and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) have signed a strategic partnership to support the ‘Family First’ program, aimed at enhancing the city’s transport system, public amenities, infrastructure, and urban spaces.
The partnership represents a model of integration between social policy and urban planning, creating a family-friendly urban environment that embeds family growth principles within public transport services, road infrastructure, and urban development areas.
It emphasizes translating family values into practical, everyday experiences through innovative designs informed by behavioral science, using guidance cues and visual and sensory markers to improve accessibility, safety, and comfort for families across all segments of society.
HE Sana bint Mohammed Suhail UAE Minister of Family
“Our partnership with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority represents a practical extension of the ‘Family First’ program and a qualitative step in expanding its scope to include one of the sectors with the greatest impact on families’ daily lives—transport and urban mobility. This reflects advanced institutional integration and underscores the UAE government’s commitment to placing the family at the center of policies and development plans. Through this collaboration, we are translating the objectives of the National Family Growth Agenda 2031 into tangible operational standards within transport systems and urban facilities. Cities that prioritize families in urban planning achieve balanced and sustainable development. Our high-impact partnerships demonstrate long-term institutional commitment and ensure that families remain at the heart of daily life.”
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, highlighted the social dimension of urban mobility and stated that, “This partnership reflects RTA’s commitment to integrating social policies into urban development to deliver sustainable societal impact. We aim to incorporate family growth concepts into the design of transport stations, public facilities, and urban spaces, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global model for human-centered urban planning. Dubai’s development vision places people first, with families at its cornerstone, and RTA ensures the transport system strengthens family stability, supports social cohesion, and enhances quality of life.”
RTA has aligned its policies and projects with national directives for the growth of the Emirati family, offering a safe, accessible, and inclusive transport system that reduces daily burdens on families and enhances mobility.
Initiatives include exemptions and discounts for senior Emiratis and People of Determination, as well as practical support for families through dedicated metro and tram cabins, nursery facilities, and other inclusive urban services.
As part of the Year of Family, RTA has organized a mass wedding for Emirati employees preparing for marriage, supported family-run businesses by providing public transport spaces to showcase their products, and introduced a mobile nursery service for female employees, transforming a public bus into a temporary educational and recreational space for children.
