22/07/2026
Empowering the Third Sector: Dubai Launches Phase 3 of ‘Ethraa’ to Drive Institutional Excellence in Non-Profit Organizations
The initiative aligns with the strategic goal of activating the Third Sector and building a high-impact civil society ecosystem in line with the Dubai Social Agenda 33.
DUBAI, UAE – July 21, 2026:
The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai has launched the third phase of its flagship “Ethraa” initiative to evaluate and empower non-profit organizations, advancing Dubai's vision to strengthen a high-impact Third Sector ecosystem in line with the Dubai Social Agenda 33.
A Leadership Vision Focusing on Human Empowerment
Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, underscored the strategic depth of the initiative, stating:
"The launch of Phase 3 of “Ethraa” fully reflects the vision of our wise leadership, which consistently puts human empowerment and social cohesion at the forefront of Dubai's priorities. Our ultimate core priority is building and empowering a high-impact Third Sector ecosystem through qualitative initiatives that foster an enabling and stimulating environment for non-profit entities. By doing so, we ensure they become highly sustainable strategic partners, driving comprehensive development and reinforcing Dubai's position as a global benchmark for institutionalized social work and exceptional quality of life."
Transitioning to High-Impact Governance
Out of 146 organizations supervised by CDA, 146 non-profit entities have actively engaged in this institutional development journey, the initiative
evaluates technical, administrative, and financial pillars based on rigorous governance frameworks.
Commenting on the operational deployment, Dr. Ahmed Al Hashemi, CEO of the Social Regulation and Services Sector at CDA, said:
"The third phase of 'Ithraa' represents a qualitative leap in the administrative, financial, and technical support provided to the Third Sector. Through this phase, we aim to transform institutional excellence from an optional practice into a sustainable way of working. Hosting the expanded orientation workshop at Al Khawaneej Majlis, which brought together more than 200 participants from across the Third Sector, reflects the sector's strong sense of cohesion and readiness to elevate social sector outcomes to new levels of institutional maturity. It also equips non-profit organizations with advanced methodologies and practical tools to enhance operational efficiency and ensure the sustainability of their impact.
Three Pillars of Excellence
The "Ethraa" framework evaluates organizations based on three key pillars: Institutional Empowerment & Governance, Human & Social Capital Sustainability, and Performance Excellence. Upon completing the evaluation, organizations will compete for the "Ithraa Excellence Award" across three tiers: Gold, Silver, and Bronze, building upon the success of past cycles which saw winning institutions rise from 25 to 30.
