Minister of Social Affairs announces key changes to charitable associations' regulations.
KUWAIT CITY, March 15: As the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close, sources at the Ministry of Social Affairs revealed a significant decline in donation violations during the 23rd annual Ramadan collection campaign, with a decrease of nearly 70 percent compared to previous years, particularly last year.
They explained that the three field inspection teams recently formed, led by the ministry and including representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Kuwait Municipality, have detected numerous violations since the start of Ramadan. The most common violations were unauthorized collection kiosks for used clothing, especially in outlying areas, totaling over 140 kiosks.
Most of these unauthorized kiosks, particularly those of unknown origin, were removed by the municipality, as they could allow infiltrators and unscrupulous individuals to collect in-kind donations illegally, outside the ministry’s oversight.
The sources affirmed the ministry’s commitment to enforcing Cabinet Resolution No. 914/2001, which requires charitable organizations to remove all unlicensed donation collection units from the ministry and Kuwait Municipality areas, and limits clothing collection activities to the association’s headquarters and official branches. They revealed that inspection teams also identified unauthorized and illegal advertisements on social media soliciting cash donations under the guise of charitable projects, adding that the owners of these accounts were referred to the Ministry of Interior for legal action.
The sources went on to explain that unauthorized and unlicensed advertisements were also found near and on the walls of some mosques, soliciting donations to organize Iftar meals for fasting individuals without the ministry’s approval. These cases were addressed, and the necessary legal measures were taken in coordination with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and other relevant government agencies.
While acknowledging the existence of some violations, the sources confirmed a significant decrease compared to previous years, thanks to the strict measures implemented by the ministry and other authorities to regulate donations. These measures include a complete ban on collecting donations inside mosques in all forms
