Department of Community Development - Abu Dhabi reveals details of Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for People of Determination Inclusion (Damj)

Al Etihad

20-04-2025

20 Apr 2025 13:21
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Department of Community Development (DCD) has announced the details of the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for People of Determination Inclusion of Damj, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Council.The award aims to reinforce Abu Dhabi's position as a global leader in inclusive development by adopting both local and international disability inclusion standards and encouraging the implementation of innovative programmes that ensure equal opportunities and enhance social wellbeing for all segments of society.The announcement was attended by His Excellency Hamad Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the Department of Community Development, and Her Excellency Dr Layla Al Hyas, Executive Director of the Social Development Sector, along with the team leading on the implementation of the award Damj, media representatives, and content creators.The event included a detailed presentation on the award, that features ten categories grouped under three main pillars. One of the most prominent is the Inclusive Services Pillar, which seeks to incentivise the achievements of entities from the public, private, and third sectors that deliver inclusive and innovative services for people of determination across various fields. This pillar recognises excellence in areas such as health, education, tourism and recreation, mobility and transportation, and third-sector services, based on international disability inclusion standards.Eligibility requires that entities be based in Abu Dhabi, have operated for at least two years, hold a valid commercial license for private sector applicants, and provide services within the emirate. For health services, the award excludes specialised medical rehabilitation. For inclusive education, schools must have a minimum rating of Good, in designated inclusion standards.The award also features the Inclusive Employment Pillar, which aims to honour and recognise the efforts of entities that create an inclusive employment ecosystem that is enabling an inclusive work environment for employees of determination, allowing them to perform their roles in alignment with their capabilities. This pillar includes two categories honouring the most inclusive work environments in the public and private sectors. To be eligible, entities must be based in Abu Dhabi, have been established for at least two years, possess a valid commercial license in the case of private sector applicants, and, for public entities, employ People of Determination representing at least two percent of their total workforce.The Accessibility Pillar seeks to recognise achievements by government and private entities that offer accessible physical environments, such as buildings and facilities, as well as access to information and digital platforms including websites and mobile applications, in alignment with universal accessibility standards.This pillar includes recognition for the most accessible entity in both the public and private sectors, across physical and digital environments. Eligibility requires that entities be based in Abu Dhabi, have been operational for at least two years, hold a valid commercial license for private sector organisations, and present an active occupancy certificate issued within the past five years by the Department of Municipalities and Transport.Her Excellency Dr. Layla Al Hyas, Executive Director of the Social Development Sector at the Department, affirmed that the Damj Award is an approved initiative under the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination.It comes at a key moment following the completion of the first cycle of the strategy to crown the efforts of outstanding entities and ensure the sustainability and continuity of inclusion efforts beyond the strategy's timeline. Her Excellency stated that the award serves as more than a recognition tool; it is an incentivising platform that enhances innovation in the provision of disability inclusive and sustainable services and the development of inclusive work ecosystem, empowering People of Determination to engage actively in social and economic life.It is expected that the award will increase the participation of People of Determination in the labour market and economy through more than 80 entities in Abu Dhabi, while also preparing over 600 entities across sectors to become more inclusive and accessible. The award will also support the purchasing power and independence of People of Determination and their families, reinforcing their active participation in the community.An award ceremony will be held in the first quarter of 2026 to honour the winning entities from various sectors in Abu Dhabi.The department also announced that it will be organising a series of training workshops for entities interested in applying for the Damj Award. These workshops, scheduled for April 23-24, 2025 will be conducted over the course of a single day and are designed to support representatives from all sectors by offering an in-depth explanation of the award's categories, pillars, eligibility requirements, evaluation process, and by answering participant questions.The award team will offer weekly awareness sessions in both Arabic and English, available to all entities interested in learning more about the award's structure, categories, and criteria. These sessions will continue throughout the first award cycle, from February until the end of August.Entities may also request one-on-one sessions with the award team to receive tailored guidance and support throughout the application process.
The Damj Award reflects the Department of Community Development's unwavering commitment to building a cohesive and inclusive society where individual differences are respected and valued as a source of strength and growth.