New Saudi rules boost options for NGOs

Membership requirement for forming organisation halved to ten

The minimum number of people required to form an organisation has been reduced from 20 to ten under new rules for non-government organisations (NGOs) in Saudi Arabia.

The rules also stipulate that the time taken to officially approve the organisation must not exceed 60 days, Social Development Ministry Undersecretary Abdullah Al Sadhan said.

“The new rules include several developments and advantages that will have positive effects on society,” he said. “Under the new rules, charity societies and foundations will have their own council and a fund to support organisations will also be set up to help develop their capacities and guarantee their sustainability,” he was quoted by Saudi news site Sabq as saying.

The new rules also allow companies, institutions and banks to establish charity societies, he added.

“The rules allow the formation of family funds as well as agreements with government and private entities to offer services or programmes,” he said. “NGOs can also receive donations after the approval of the ministry,” Al Sadhan said.

Under the new system, the Ministry of Social Development oversees all the NGOs, including private foundations.

“The ministry will be tasked with issuing, amending and renewing licences for the societies, except those of a scientific nature that are set up in universities,” Al Sadhan said. “The ministry will also oversee moves to merge NGOs and will work on spreading a culture of volunteerism and achieving social cohesion.”

Improving work of NGOs

Al Sadhan added that the ministry was working on the details of the bylaws ahead of presenting them to the NGOs for discussions and feedback.

The Saudi government this week approved the new rules amid expectations they will improve the work by NGOs in the kingdom.

“The new system will serve development and social objectives and will regulate private charity work,” Majed Al Qasbi, the social development minister, said.

“It will also contribute to overall social development and to the participation of Saudi citizens in developing society,” he said.