Muscat: The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) confirmed that during the past year, it has successfully monitored and intercepted approximately 67 cases of unauthorized fundraising across various governorates, with a total value of around RO 30,000. Muscat recorded the highest number of cases at 20, while the Southern al Sharqiyah Governorate reported no incidents.
The ministry emphasized its responsibility to regulate public fundraising in accordance with the Regulatory Framework for Public Fundraising Licenses, issued under Ministerial Decision No. 336/2024. The framework provides clear legal guidelines to ensure the legitimacy of fundraising campaigns and to protect donors’ funds from exploitation.
Hamoud bin Mardad al Shibibi, Advisor to the Minister of Social Development for Planning and Acting Director General of Voluntary Work and Civil Society Institutions, stressed that protecting charitable work from misuse is not only a legal obligation but also a moral and social responsibility. “Every donation is a trust, and every confidence given by the community must be met with the highest standards of transparency and integrity. Community awareness plays a crucial role in promoting the credibility and organization of charitable work, ensuring it serves humanitarian and developmental goals within a safe legal framework,” he said.
Al Shibibi highlighted the importance of verifying the credibility of campaigns, ensuring they are licensed by the ministry, preventing funds from being transferred to personal accounts, and clearly communicating the campaign’s purpose and duration. Adhering to official channels safeguards donors’ funds, ensures aid reaches its intended recipients, and limits illegal practices that may exploit public goodwill.
The ministry has enhanced charitable work and fundraising operations through the Jood Charity Platform, which currently includes 64 volunteer teams, 31 charitable associations, and 5 endowment institutions. The platform provides a systematic and transparent approach to fundraising, ensuring donations reach beneficiaries safely while boosting donor confidence. It also allows individuals and organizations to contribute digitally and to track relief campaigns launched by licensed entities.
The Jood platform consolidates procedures for reviewing applications from associations and volunteer teams, records beneficiary details, monitors fund disbursement, and reduces the risk of duplicate payments to the same recipient. Donors have access to accurate financial data and statistics, which enhances trust and ensures effective delivery of assistance.
Since its launch, the platform has attracted over 344,000 donors, contributing more than RO 4 million in total donations.
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