Dubai plans major law reforms to boost quality of life

Dubai: Dubai is set to introduce a new wave of legislative amendments this year, including updates to its urban planning, maternity leave and public safety laws, as part of a broader push to strengthen quality of life across the emirate.

Ahmed Saeed bin Meshar, Secretary General of the Higher Committee for Legislation in Dubai, said the reforms would be rolled out in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure a better balance between work and family life, while improving regulatory efficiency in urban development.

Speaking on the sidelines of Legislative Week 2026, which opened on Monday, bin Meshar said amendments to Dubai’s urban planning law would focus on removing overlaps between service and development entities and clarifying institutional roles.

The changes, according to Al Khaleej newspaper, are intended to reinforce the key role of Dubai Municipality in overseeing urban planning, amid existing intersections with bodies such as the Roads and Transport Authority, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and special development zones.

“The objective is not legislative expansion for its own sake, but redistribution of roles and the removal of regulatory duplication,” he said, adding that a clearer governance structure would directly support quality-of-life outcomes.

On labour legislation, bin Meshar said the committee was working with Dubai’s human resources authorities on reforms affecting female employees, particularly after maternity leave. The proposals go beyond extending leave periods, instead focusing on the real-world impact of legislation on family stability and fertility rates.

Options under consideration include remote working arrangements following maternity leave, reduced daily working hours, potentially from eight to five, and part-time employment models allowing four-hour workdays to support childcare responsibilities.

Bin Meshar pointed to Dubai’s experience regulating autonomous vehicles and drones as a model for future legislation, noting that successful frameworks had been built on real-world pilots.

The same approach is now being applied to the emerging air taxi sector, with particular attention to cyber security and public safety, to ensure legislation remains anticipatory rather than reactive.

He stressed that the committee attaches utmost attention to measuring legislative impact to avoid repeated amendments and to ensure laws remain sustainable over time.

Legislative Week 2026 is being held over three days at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, under the theme "Empowering Family and Society: Legislation for a Prosperous Future".

The programme brings together legal experts, policymakers and specialists for high-level panel discussions, technical workshops and a dedicated “legislative lab”.

Bin Meshar said the event reflects a commitment to translating leadership directives into enabling legislation that supports family stability, strengthens social development and simplifies daily life, while aligning legal texts with the needs of society and the emirate’s long-term development goals.

During the opening sessions, Dr Najla Al Ameri, Assistant Legal Advisor and Head of Government Infrastructure and Regulatory Legislation, said the committee had issued 219 pieces of legislation over the past five years in collaboration with government entities. These included measures across justice and judiciary, social and family affairs, infrastructure, education and digital transactions.

She said future legislation would increasingly rely on data analytics, artificial intelligence and legislative impact tools, marking a shift from reactive to proactive lawmaking.

Among the key challenges, she noted, are rapid social and economic change and increasingly diverse societal needs, factors that demand flexible laws capable of preserving values without hindering progress.

The second day of the event will focus on applied policy development through the legislative lab, while the final day will feature a specialised workshop on behavioural insights in legislation, examining how clearer drafting can translate into more effective outcomes.