Abu Dhabi launches ‘parent-friendly label’ initiative

ABU DHABI / WAM

Under the patronage and in the presence of HH Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), the authority has launched the Parent-Friendly Label (PFL), a new initiative that aims at promoting a parent-friendly workplace
culture in Abu Dhabi.
It is a voluntary initiative that provides an independent set of criteria that employers can adopt in order to be recognised and awarded for their parent-friendly policies, practices and culture.
This came during HH Sheikh Theyab’s virtual meeting with ECA leadership, which was attended by ECA Director-General Sana Mohamed Suhail; Dr Yousef Al Hammadi, Executive Director of Knowledge & Impact Sector; Thamer Rashed Al Qasimi, Executive Director of Special Projects and Partnerships Sector; Hamad Al Zaabi, Executive Director of Organisational Enablement Sector, and a number of ECA staff.
HH Sheikh Theyab emphasised the active role that the private sector, semi-government and third sector organisations can play in supporting children’s holistic development, by adopting parent-friendly policies, to support working parents as they care for their children, especially during their early childhood.
“The early care for children would have a positive impact on children, families and the whole community. Therefore, the PFL helps support the ambitious vision of the UAE’s future over the next fifty years, creating enabled generations to face challenges and shape the future, and pushing forward the UAE’s journey of development and prosperity launched by the founding fathers,” HH Sheikh Theyab noted.
HH Sheikh Theyab highlighted the PFL’s importance in overcoming Covid-19 related challenges, particularly those related to childcare, education, and work-life balance for parents.
“By creating parent-friendly workplaces that understand children’s needs, the PFL will provide children with adequate support within their families, to ensure their healthy development and early learning. This, in turn, would increase Abu Dhabi’s workplace attractiveness, retention and productivity,” His Highness Sheikh Theyab added.
Organisations can apply to one of the label’s two levels, the Parent-Friendly (the first level) and Parent-Friendly Plus (the advanced level). Organisations eligible to apply for the PFL must be either from the private sector, semi-government sector or third sector, must have a valid trade licence issued in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi or issued by a free zone in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and demonstrate a commitment to parent-friendliness.
For her part, Sana Suhail said, “Creating parent-friendly workplaces improves the capabilities of working parents to efficiently contribute to their children’s emotional, cognitive and behavioral development during their early childhood, and thereby promoting their wellbeing. In addition to strengthening social and family bonds, parent-friendly workplaces increase working parents’ engagement, wellbeing, retention and productivity, thus enhancing economic growth and social welfare in Abu Dhabi.”
Sana Suhail stressed that parent-friendly workplaces can greatly contribute to reducing parental stress and parent absenteeism in their children’s lives, and increasing chances
of women realising their full potential.
“Parent-friendly workplaces also encourage fathers to be more involved in the early years, supporting children to have better developmental outcomes, potentially leading to less behavioral problems and improved cognitive and mental health. Moreover, rates of infant acute, chronic illnesses and the likelihood of a variety of infections can decrease when working mothers are supported to nurse their babies,” she added.
Suhail indicated that 45 percent of respondents to the second edition of “Quality of Life Questionnaire”, conducted by the Department of Community Development, stated that the quality time they spend with their families is short to very short.
ECA has called on all organisations interested in applying for the PFL to complete and submit their applications at https://eca.gov.ae/en/pfl during the application window of 30th May to 23rd September 2021.