SCFA stresses importance of concerted efforts to strengthen future of Emirati families

The Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, SCFA, revealed that the objectives of its next five-year strategic plan are focusing on combining the efforts of its departments and institutions and developing work coordination methods and public policies to further support and strengthen the family and to empower its members to effectively play their communal roles.

This was stated during a virtual strategic meeting held Sunday and chaired by HE Dr. Khawla Al Mulla, Secretary-General, SCFA, in the presence of HE Moudhi Al Shamsi, Head of Department of Family Development Centres, HE Salha Ghabish, Head of the Cultural and Media Office, SCFA, HE Iman Rashid Saif, Director, Health Promotion Department, HE Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Child Safety Director, HE Dr. Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, Executive Director of Sharjah Baby-Friendly Office, and more than 20 participants from the second line of leaders at SCFA.

The meeting touched on developing the future visions and trends of the next strategic plan, including shaping the SCFA’s strategic orientations, outlining the public policies and corporate rules and systems, and drawing up a roadmap for the Council departments based on reinforcing corporate work.

“The SCFA makes every possible effort to strengthen the family and enable it to effectively play its societal role,” said Dr. Khawla Al Mulla, “The new strategic plan comes in line with the visions and directives of HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah and HH Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in terms of laying out strategies, plans, and programmes that help maintain the cohesion and stability of families in Sharjah.”

Thanks to its comprehensiveness and diversity, the next five-year plan will form an important reference. It attaches special importance to the cooperation with the family-related institutions locally, regionally, and globally and the importance of social cohesion, especially in light of Covid-19 challenges and the emergence of new human behaviors. The plan will also grapple with operational performance indicators and the development of effective corporate communication strategy at the departmental or societal level.

With over 800 participants, Al Mulla commended the remarkable interaction of the concerned parties with the field surveys the SCFA conducted during the plan development to outline the priorities of the upcoming stage.

During the meeting, the attendees reviewed the roles assigned to each department of the SCFA and the future innovative initiatives, where Salha Ghabish provided insights on creating a family media office which will be the first of its kind nationwide, while Moudhi Al Shamsi stressed the significance of investing in the second line of leaders to prepare national cadres qualified for the social work.

Al Shamsi pointed to the importance of the plan in uniting efforts, developing institutional frameworks, and consolidating the roles of the SCFA departments to shoulder their responsibility and fulfill the plan requirements.

From analyzing the current situation and evaluating the Council’s services, programmes, and initiatives, to conducting several benchmarking, the meeting highlighted what was accomplished during the first and second phases of the strategic plan development. Apart from that, the participants discussed the balanced scorecard which was formulated on the basis of developing revenues and institutional and technology infrastructures, building human resources, and enhancing skills to provide innovative services to the SCFA’s customers and society at large.