Abu Dhabi: The first annual conference of the TRENDS Observatory has called for stronger family stability and for policies that help people start families and meet their changing needs.
The conference, held on Thursday in Abu Dhabi under the theme “The Family in the Era of Social Transformation”, was inaugurated by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.
Flexible workplaces and mental health support
Participants also urged a better balance between work and family life, and workplaces flexible enough to accommodate family responsibilities.
They called for more mental health, prevention and early intervention programmes, along with psychological and social support for families.
More than 25 academics, researchers, experts and officials from bodies working with family affairs and community development took part in the sessions.
Digital age and national identity
The participants stressed the importance of strengthening national identity and encouraging dialogue between generations as society goes digital.
They also highlighted the need for closer partnerships between families and schools and universities to support the upbringing of future generations.
They called for wider use of research and data to shape evidence-based family policies and to measure how well they work.
