Issuing 107 of Money Licenses for NGOs during the first half of year 2021
10-07-2021
His Excellency the Minister of Labour and Social Development, Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, affirmed that, thanks to the close cooperation between the Ministry and the competent bodies responsible for issuing fundraising licences to civil society organizations and NGOs, the licensing process has been streamlined in line with all regulatory and security requirements. This progress is reflected in the quality of services delivered by charitable associations, with the number of NGOs that have obtained licences since the beginning of this year reaching 107 to date. Humaidan explained that charitable work in the Kingdom of Bahrain has enjoyed numerous facilitations in both normal and exceptional circumstances, pursuant to Government directives to support the sector. Enhanced coordination with the relevant authorities has raised the approval rate for licence applications to 94 % of all submissions. Additional momentum has come from boosting the efficiency of associations by training their employees in financial management: in cooperation with the Institute of Public Administration (BIPA), NGO accountants and financial secretaries have been awarded specialist certificates in association financial management. Moreover, NGOs have been guided to comply fully with the laws and regulations governing fundraising, which has reduced the number of non‑compliant applications. In a related development, NGOs have embraced electronic payment technologies. The Ministry coordinated with BenefitPay to regulate e‑payment operations after approving and designating companies licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain to collect donations and disburse them to beneficiaries. It also worked with the Central Bank and licensed providers such as Sadad and CrediMax to shield NGOs from the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. With regard to fundraising during the holy month of Ramadan, the Ministry provided additional support by issuing special licences and regulating the distribution of Ramadan donations, including via electronic channels—measures that proved particularly valuable amid the COVID‑19 pandemic.