Eye on unlicensed fundraising

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Steps vowed against illegal donations, charity

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 6: According to informed sources from the Ministry of Social Affairs, the ministry’ Department of Charitable Societies and Foundations recently monitored the publication of fundraising announcements made by the International Islamic Charitable Organization through its official website and various social media accounts without submitting an official request to the ministry and obtaining its prior approval before publication, reports Aljarida daily. They explained that such advertisements are considered an explicit violation of the laws, decisions, controls and requirements for regulating charity work in the country, especially article 1 of law No. 59/1959 regarding licensing the collection of money for public purposes.

The article stipulates that, “Individuals or groups may not collect donations from the public by any means for the purpose of spending them in a charity cause or helping the afflicted, without obtaining prior license from the Ministry of Social Affairs at least one month before the start of the collection process, provided that the duration, method and purpose of the collection shall be determined by the project organizer.” The ministry will take the quick necessary legal measures against unauthorized individuals or entities who announce the collection of donations or the launch of charity projects without its prior approval and away from the eyes of the state and its oversight, in order to preserve charitable work and ensure that it is not exposed to any defect.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is the body legally authorized to supervise and control charitable work, and authorize any party to carry out its activities, in accordance with the provisions of law No. 24/1962 regarding clubs and public benefit societies. The sources said, “The ministry’s inspection teams monitor and immediately remove charity work violations committed by entities or individuals. They also monitor communication sites such as Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, and follow up calls for unlicensed donations that did not obtain prior permission from the ministry, in order to take the necessary measures in that regard.

Some unknown people take advantage of the philanthropic nature of Kuwaiti society and its love to help the needy, in order to achieve private goals that are completely far from charity work. Therefore, we call on donors – both citizens and residents – to be careful when donating, not to succumb to such invitations, and to direct their donations to known and wellknown parties in the country, especially since these funds may fall into the hands of those who misuse them and distort Kuwaiti charitable work.”

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