As everyone races to do good deeds and distribute donations to the poor and needy people during the holy month of Ramadan, the Ministry of Community Development intensifies its awareness efforts to ensure that the funds of donors are protected from any form of exploitation and reach out beneficiaries correctly.
As everyone races to do good deeds and distribute donations to the poor and needy people during the holy month of Ramadan, the Ministry of Community Development intensifies its awareness efforts to ensure that the funds of donors are protected from any form of exploitation and reach out beneficiaries correctly. In accordance with the provisions of Federal Law No. (3) of 2021 concerning the organization of donations and its executive regulations and in line with the UAE traditions and culture, the Ministry enhances all the efforts that support giving, charitable and humanitarian work in the community through a set of laws governing the process of collecting, receiving and making donations.
Excellency Hessa Abdul Rahman Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Development at the Ministry of Community Development, emphasized that all community members can make in-kind or financial donations to licensed charities, deposit donations in boxes available in malls and public places, prepare, purchase or distribute food to families in the neighborhood, distribute Iftar meals and dates to passers-by, or place water boxes in mosques, all of which do not violate the law as long as no kind of money and donations are collected for illegal purposes.
Excellency Hessa Tahlak also elaborated that outsourcing restaurants to prepare a fasting Iftar meal in exchange for a sum of money is a clear violation of the law as it is not possible to ensure that these kinds of assistance reach beneficiaries directly, as such restaurants are not specialized to search for those in need or distribute donations of food and drink, this makes donors vulnerable to fraud and exploitation; therefore, the law prohibits such acts that fall within the framework of fundraising.
Excellency Hessa Tahlak emphasized that the community members should need to be careful and not follow unlicensed fundraising campaigns, whether through social media or SMS text messages, in markets, shops and workplaces, the Federal Law No. (3) of 2021 concerning the donations regulatory law stated that "a normal person is prohibited from establishing or performing any act with the aim of collecting or accepting donations from the public by any means of collection except after obtaining a permit which specifies the mechanism and channels of collection."
In this regard, Excellency Hessa Tahlak assured that one of the most important objectives of the donations regulatory law is "to protect the funds of donors, and to deliver donations to those who are eligible", explaining that the law has specified for those proven to have violated the stipulated terms and regulations, a penalty of imprisonment and a fine of up to AED 500,000 shall be applied.
It is worth noting that the charitable associations and institutions licensed and approved by official authorities are authorized by law to collect and submit donations. The list of approved and licensed charitable associations and institutions can be viewed through the website of the Ministry of Community Development www.mocd.gov.ae