Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, the Community Development Authority (CDA) has unveiled the Dubai Community Contributions Platform, 'Jood'.

This platform acts as a central hub spanning the Emirate of Dubai, dedicated to championing and strengthening social and humanitarian endeavors. Its mission is to inspire active engagement from stakeholders and fortify the foundations of sustainable community development, in perfect alignment with the goals set forth by the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

Pioneering in its approach, this platform operates under the guiding principle Promoting "The Giving Back to the Community" Spirit. It stands poised to fortify the establishment of a robust and proactive social care and empowerment system by providing a secure, reliable, and endorsed avenue for social responsibility contributions. Welcoming engagement from a spectrum of entities including companies, entrepreneurs, institutions, and individuals of varied nationalities, it encourages participation in sustainable projects aimed at empowering society across critical sectors such as health, education, and social welfare. The platform's overarching objective is to ensure transparency and efficacy in harnessing companies' societal contributions while fostering collaboration among stakeholders to enrich and advance the social sector.

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Her Excellency Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Director-General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, underscores the significance of the Jood platform as an innovative and advanced channel provided by Dubai. Serving as a facilitator for institutions, companies, business sectors, and individuals, it aims to streamline and institutionalize contributions to sustainable community projects, with a primary focus on vital areas such as education, health, and social care.

Emphasizing the purposeful strategic nature of the "Jood" initiative, she highlights its embodiment of the "giving back to the community" spirit. This initiative reflects the visionary directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as well as the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council. The initiative is dedicated to fostering a robust, interdependent, and cohesive society, in alignment with the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33. Its core aim is to enhance the effectiveness and proactivity of social care and empowerment systems, generating a positive impact on society both presently and in the future.

Moreover, she elaborates on how Jood embodies the essence of Emirati culture, rooted in generosity and unity. It aligns with the timeless customs and traditions of the Emirati people, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to aiding those in need and enhancing their well-being during prosperous and challenging times. She further notes the strong desire of businessmen in the society, both citizens and residents, to contribute to supporting social programs and advancing societal development. The initiative distinguishes itself by empowering business sectors and companies to channel their corporate social responsibility contributions towards projects with a lasting positive impact on society, particularly in crucial areas such as health, education, and community empowerment. This endeavor significantly contributes to realizing the objectives outlined in the Dubai Social Agenda 33, with the vision of positioning Dubai among the top three cities in the world in terms of standard of living a decade from now.

His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Director General of the Dubai Digital Authority, praised this initiative, saying: “We are pleased to be a major partner in developing the Jood Platform for Community Contributions (jood.ae), which represents a pioneering model for harnessing digital technology in order to contribute to community initiatives in the emirate. This initiative falls within the goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 is comes in line with the general strategic direction towards digitalizing life in Dubai. We at Digital Dubai support such community initiatives through digital empowerment and harnessing the digital infrastructure to provide quality digital experiences at the emirate level. This partnership comes as an embodiment of the vision of the wise leadership to consolidate Dubai’s position as a global digital capital and as an inspiring model of social responsibility, solidarity and cohesion.”

H.E. Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, stated that Joud Platform for Community Contributions is a platform that translates the directives of the State’s wise leadership and is in the interest of society. The Platform is a reference and reliable destination for those wishing to contribute to humanitarian, charitable and developmental work in the Emirate of Dubai. This is for ease of use in direct electronic donations.

He pointed out that the Department is keen to emphasize its societal role and the responsibility entrusted to it to achieve a pioneering charitable position. This is through participating in community initiatives in the field of charitable and humanitarian work at the State level. Also, to supervise and control donations, as the humanitarian role of the Department is considered an integral part of its duties. This is in addition to consolidating and encouraging a culture of donation and human solidarity and encouraging individuals and institutions to contribute to charitable work to support comprehensive and sustainable human development efforts, through the Department-authorized legitimate channels.

Furthermore, cooperation with the Joud Platform richly provides a fertile environment to encourage cooperation and interaction between the local community, non-profit entities, individuals, companies, and charitable investments, and to provide opportunities seeking to emphasize this area in our Arab society.

Strategic objectives

The 'Jood' platform initiative aims to foster private sector participation through corporate social responsibility in community development and enhancement projects. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen social cohesion among members of society, ensure transparency regarding the utilization of societal contributions from companies and individuals, and promote collaboration with relevant authorities to support and advance the social sector.

Vital projects with sustainable impact

The 'Jood' platform directs contributions towards community projects with a focus on sustainable impact, prioritizing support for education, students, scientific research and development, healthcare standards enhancement, and community protection measures. Moreover, it facilitates the construction and equipping of social centers, enhancing the long-term effectiveness of contributions from companies, businesses, and individuals.

This initiative emerges from a collaborative effort among 11 government agencies in the Emirate of Dubai, aligning with the directives of the Dubai Government to strengthen governance in the community contributions sector. It seeks to establish a platform that harmonizes the corporate social responsibility policy of Dubai with the social responsibility strategies of institutions and companies within the emirate. By implementing impactful initiatives, 'Jood' aims to leverage philanthropy's benefits while ensuring sustained societal impact. Rooted in the principle of 'giving back to the community', these initiatives aspire to benefit citizens, residents, and all segments of society to the fullest extent possible.

Partners and supporters

The participating entities in the 'Jood' platform (jood.ae) currently include the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, Dar Al Ber Society, Al Jalila - Dubai Health Foundation, Beit Al Khair Society, Dubai Charitable Society. The platform was developed in partnership and cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, the Dubai Digital Authority, the Community Development Authority, the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, and the Department of Finance in Dubai.

Facilitated mechanisms

"Jood" presents a unified and reliable platform for showcasing and endorsing initiatives, projects, and campaigns proposed by institutions. It highlights the most pressing needs, facilitating the attraction of donor contributions and alignment with the social responsibility plans of the private sector.

The platform (jood.ae) enables both institutions and individuals to contribute directly to listed initiatives and projects through electronic payment or bank transfer. It also provides regular updates on project status and progress towards completion, along with documented reports of contributions tailored to meet social responsibility requirements. This approach supports sustainable performance and offers various benefits to contributors.

With its digital interface, the "Jood" platform offers convenient direct access and immediate contribution to diverse community initiatives, allowing contributions through the platform (jood.ae) or by making quick donations via the “Dubai Now” application. Furthermore, it illustrates the connections between each presented initiative and corresponding sustainable community development goals, including associated environmental, social, and governance factors. This transparency ensures efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency throughout the process.

With the sustainable development goals

The platform (jood.ae) is aligned with Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing global partnerships. It highlights the importance of a common objective and a firm dedication to leveraging the combined efforts of diverse institutions worldwide to achieve sustainability. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of nurturing partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society to propel progress towards sustainable development.

A solidarity society with all its segments

The "Jood" platform (jood.ae) provides a structured institutional framework for receiving contributions from companies and businessmen. It concentrates on strategic, purposeful, and sustainable community initiatives aimed at empowering Dubai society and fulfilling the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda. Moreover, it strives to strengthen the institutionalization of social responsibility contributions, further solidifying Dubai's position as a pioneer in nurturing a unified, solidarity-based society that encompasses all individuals, groups, and sectors.