Watani, the UAE’s unique national identity programme, has announced the launch of the First National Survey 2011 in collaboration with the Dubai Consultancy & Media Centre (B’huth).

The survey is aimed at promoting good citizenship practices and strengthening community outreach.

The survey, coinciding with the UAE’s 40th National Day celebrations, is an initiative that would enable Watani to enrich communication with various segments of the UAE society. It will also contribute to efficient decision-making by providing valuable information on the community and lifestyles in the country, said a statement.

The survey will attempt to cover social, cultural, health and educational issues of concern to the various segments of the society, especially those that have not been monitored in the past through an objective statistical study based on international best practices in tackling social changes, it said.

“Since its inception, Watani has launched initiatives that reflect our mission to stay close to the UAE society. The First National Survey represents our commitment to developing the building blocks for good citizenship, social responsibility, consultation and participation in decision-making and endorsing the importance of the individual’s opinion in public opinion," said Marwan Al Hashimi, executive director for Watani.

"In our efforts to ensure that public opinion is duly channelled and acknowledged, Watani is also working on a unique initiative called ‘Rayak.’ The First National Survey is in effect the starting point for Rayak, which will focus on similar surveys and activities to gather public opinion on issues of public interest,” A Hashimi added.

"We are pleased to cooperate with Watani in the design and implementation of the First National Survey. The survey will be conducted to the best international practices. B’huth, along with Watani, will employ all our capabilities and expertise to achieve our shared goals and objectives,” said Yasir Al Muqbel, director of quantitative division in B’huth.

Various factors have been considered in designing and implementing the survey, including the unique composition of the UAE community and its different social layers, distribution of population and different age groups. The survey seeks to gather insights on the economic, social and cultural concerns of the people as well as specific challenges faced by the country at the local and global levels.

The survey also aims to compile useful personal data, especially those on incomes, living conditions and outlook on children’s future, in addition to the individual’s priority for basic values in matters related to home, family, career and others.

The First National Survey 2011 is open to all citizens and residents of the UAE and will use diverse channels such as e-mails, interviews and telephone calls to reach out to the public, according to the agreed schedule. Field teams will cover key locations in each emirate interacting with the target audiences. The public can also participate in the survey online through www.rayak.ae  - TradeArabia News Service