Residents can donate to licensed charities: Ministry

DUBAI: 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 to beneficiaries correctly.

In accordance with the provisions of Federal Law No. (3) of 2021 concerning the organisation 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.

Hessa Abdul Rahman Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Development at the Ministry of Community Development, emphasised 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 neighbourhood, distribute Itar 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 moneyanddonationsarecollectedforillegalpurposes.

Hessa Tahlak also elaborated that outsourcing restaurants to prepare a fasting Itar 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 specialised 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.

Hessa Tahlak emphasised that the community members should need to be careful and not follow unlicensedfundraisingcampaigns,whetherthrough socialmediaorsmstextmessages,inmarkets,shops and workplaces, the Federal Law No. (3) of 2021 concerningthedonationsregulatorylawstatedthat “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 ater obtaining a permit which specifiesthemechanismandchannelsofcollection.”

In this regard, 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 Dhs500,000 shall be applied.

It is worth noting that the charitable associations and institutions licensed and approved by official authorities are authorised by law to collect and submit donations. The list of approved and licensed charitableassociationsandinstitutionscanbeviewed through the website of the Ministry of Community Development www.mocd.gov.ae.

Earlier, it was reported that 1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, with the aim of launching the largest Ramadan sustainable food aid endowment fund, has so far recorded Dhs247 million, one week ater its launch.

The campaign received donations from 13,220 majorcontributors,individuals,businessesandpublic and private sector players.

Among those, 13,195 contributors donated via smart channels.

The campaign is a practical example of the UAE’ s long-held values of giving and generosity, and a community-wide response to Sheikh Mohammed’s call for aiding those in need.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said: “The “1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign reflects the vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid for sustaining charitable efforts, opening the door for everyone hoping to make a lasting impact. On the other hand, the remarkable response we see across the UAE community is a reflection of its long-held values of giving and generosity, and a testament of its moral sense of responsibility towards the global efforts to eradicate hunger around the world.”