DCD Abu Dhabi showcases community platform ‘Bayanat’ at GITEX Global 2024

emirates7 - The Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi (DCD Abu Dhabi), the regulatory body for the emirate's social sector, showcased its community platform 'Bayanat' at GITEX Technology Week 2024, the largest technology exhibition in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 14 to 18.

Bayanat connects the department's partners through a unified data system that maintains high standards of transparency and disclosure, offering a comprehensive view of all data and services related to its licensed partners. The platform automates the submission of annual reports and periodic questionnaires, helping to develop comprehensive indicators and reports. This empowers partners to measure social impact by tracking the latest developments in community initiatives led by DCD’s partners and updating the platform with accurate data, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of social work and supporting strategic decision-making.

The platform consolidates licensing data from a variety of partners engaged in social activities across Abu Dhabi, including entities authorized to collect, receive, and provide donations, volunteer teams and organizations, as well as social care facilities like rehabilitation centers for individuals with determination, family counseling centers, public benefit associations, and non-Muslim places of worship.

Mubarak Salem Al Ameri, Executive Director of the Social Licensing & Control Sector at DCD, noted, “GITEX Technology Week provides an excellent opportunity to showcase innovative solutions, share insights among participants, and explore best practices that utilize modern technologies to enhance performance and service delivery across various sectors. At the Department of Community Development, we are pleased to present our experience at GITEX, underscoring our commitment to investing in and utilizing modern technology to deliver exceptional digital services to beneficiaries of social sector services in Abu Dhabi.”

He added, “Data is a crucial strategic asset in a digital government, and the Bayanat data platform marks a significant advancement toward achieving the department's integrated vision. It aligns with the Abu Dhabi government's digital transformation efforts and the development of the emirate's social sector. The platform will be instrumental in providing robust, high-quality databases that support the wise leadership's vision to improve the quality of life for the Abu Dhabi community, enhancing the ease of access to all social sector services in one centralized location.”

Furthermore, the platform aims to strengthen oversight and improve the quality of social services by providing accurate, up-to-date data that facilitates informed decision-making for the benefit of society. The DCD is dedicated to fostering innovation and creating solutions that enhance the UAE’s standing as a global hub for innovation and a leading model of excellence in the social sector.

Bayanat is an integrated data system that consolidates information from various entities within the social sector. This centralized platform allows entities to enter and their data directly, ensuring that real-time, reliable information is available to support policymaking and decision-making.

The platform features a unified, emirate-wide database that keeps track of relevant information and records related to fundraising activities, public benefit institutions, non-Muslim places of worship, social care professionals, social facilities, and volunteer work. Future expansions may include integrating additional entities, enabling comprehensive governance, supervision, and monitoring of social sector licensing activities.

In terms of functionality, DCD’s licensing partners can securely access the Bayanat platform online through a unified username, utilizing their digital identities. Partners will have the ability to view and instantly their private data and upload compliance reports and related questionnaires electronically.

Once the data collection phase is finalized, the platform will be integrated with Microsoft Power BI, enhancing its capabilities by providing interactive dashboards that allow the department and decision-makers to access licensing and compliance data from partners, facilitating high-quality decision-making.

Additionally, Bayanat will be instrumental in measuring the social impact of community initiatives led by the department’s partners, in line with the performance indicators the department aims to achieve. The platform will also ensure compliance with relevant regulations and legislation while enabling direct oversight of all activities within the social sector, allowing for the creation of instant reports to monitor performance and assess beneficiary satisfaction levels.

Bayanat utilizes the latest security technologies to ensure data protection and integrity while offering precise analytical insights that support data-driven recommendations and strengthen efforts to enhance social services throughout the emirate.