UAE Announces 2026 as Family Year

2026 to be the Year of the Family in UAE: Focus on Social Cohesion and National Identity

The President of the United Arab Emirates has announced that 2026 will be the Year of the Family in the country. This decision is not merely a symbolic gesture; it is part of a comprehensive national effort aimed at strengthening families, promoting social cohesion, and preserving Emirati identity in a rapidly changing world. The announcement was made at the annual government meeting held in Abu Dhabi, where multi-tiered measures under the National Family Growth Agenda 2031 were also discussed.

Family as a nation-building force

Family is the cornerstone of every society – this holds especially true for the UAE, where tradition, moral values, and community spirit are tightly interwoven into daily life. President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated, "The family is the foundation of every strong society." This statement clearly indicates that the stability, future, and national security of the Emirati society depend on the unity and growth of families.

Three focus areas: politics, behavior, health

In preparation for 2026, a national task force has been formed bringing together more than 20 federal and local government entities. The task force focuses on three key areas:

1. Political and program-level review: The current state programs and policies that directly or indirectly affect family growth and stability will be reviewed. New regulations aim to create a favorable environment for childbearing and family life.

2. Behavioral and social interventions: Extensive field researches will be conducted among Emirati families to understand the social and behavioral motivations behind their decisions. The goal: to identify obstacles that hinder family formation or expansion.

3. Reproductive health: Reviewing current health services and programs especially focusing on reproductive health is also on the agenda. The aim here is to ensure that the government can timely recognize and address any issues that discourage young people from starting families.

Strengthened role of the Ministry of Family Affairs

The Ministry of Family Affairs plays a key role in devising and implementing strategies. Its task is to treat family growth not merely as a demographic or social issue, but as a national strategic imperative. The ministry coordinates organizations working in education, housing, labor market, healthcare, and media to ensure families receive support from all sides.

Collective responsibility: a national cause

Sheikh Mohamed made it clear that the responsibility of reinforcing families does not rest with a single ministry. Maintaining social cohesion, providing an environment conducive to raising children, and passing on values are a shared task requiring the participation of every sector – public, private, and civil. According to the President, everyone living in the UAE can contribute to this goal – directly or indirectly, by valuing and supporting the role of families in society.

The Years of the Emirates: a meeting of tradition and vision

Launched in 2015, the Years of the Emirates initiative annually mobilizes the country's populace around a new theme to think and act jointly. 2026 – the Year of the Family – can offer new impetus for all societal layers to rethink the place, role, and future of the family in UAE life. Numerous events, campaigns, and community programs throughout the year are expected to serve this goal.

Building the future through families

A significant message of the announcement is that building the future is not solely an economic or infrastructural matter; it chiefly relies on human factors. Family is the sphere where values are born, strengthened, and passed on. Therefore, UAE leadership treats families not as passive entities but as active shapers of society, without whom sustainable development, cultural identity, or true community is not achievable.

Thus, 2026 will not just be another calendar year but could be a milestone in strengthening the UAE's most important social unit – the family. And although the challenges are multi-faceted, according to the President, collective responsibility and cooperation can achieve the goals:

"Only together, with joint awareness, cooperation, and responsibility, can we achieve goals that serve societal and national identity well-being."

The Year of the Family offers an opportunity to reassess what it means to be a family in the UAE today – and what can be done to make this foundational pillar even stronger in the future.

(Source: Announcement from the President of the United Arab Emirates.)