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Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs Dr Amthal Al-Huwailah urged charity organizations on October 5 to channel their proceeds toward the domestic market as much as possible in order to meet the needs of Kuwaiti society. The appeal came during a meeting with representatives of these groups to examine the implications of fresh legislation that overhauls the charitable sector, according to a Kuwait Times report. Al-Huwailah stressed that workers in the field would face security background checks comparable to those applied to government employees to secure qualified staff in this important area.
The minister described the core objective of the new law as regulation and organization of the charitable sector rather than the introduction of restrictions or depletion of its resources. She noted that the legislation seeks to develop and sustain the sector while protecting Kuwait’s reputation for clean and effective humanitarian work. Such measures are intended to help Kuwaiti charities meet standards set by international bodies that evaluate their operations.
Authorities have detected unscrupulous individuals who exploit the names of registered charity societies for activities that lack ministry approval, Al-Huwailah said in the session. The legislation, which appeared last month, sets up the National Center for Charitable and Humanitarian Work to supervise all charity initiatives across the country. It further creates the Kuwait Fund for Humanitarian Work, tasked with backing the sector through development programs, training initiatives and research activities.
Fund-raising and donation drives now fall under tight controls that bar the collection of any contributions without advance approval from the ministry to ensure funds reach their designated purposes and maintain full transparency. The ministry’s approach builds on a series of steps taken in recent years to tighten oversight of charitable activities and curb unauthorized solicitations. A related Times Kuwait report from earlier this year highlighted the ministry’s issuance of circulars that ban cash collections during Ramadan in favor of approved digital payment channels.
The minister’s call aligns with directives from His Highness the Amir to localize charitable work and focus its impact inside Kuwait, a policy emphasized in multiple ministry campaigns. United Nations estimates place Kuwait’s yearly charitable giving through zakat and licensed organizations at between 120 and 130 million dollars, underscoring the scale of resources involved. Local press accounts have warned that external aid without careful coordination can undermine recipient economies by competing with local producers and fostering dependency.
Reforms to the sector gathered pace in 2025 with regulations designed to strengthen supervision, boost transparency and bring nonprofits in line with global anti-money laundering requirements. Direct Aid secured top honors among large Kuwaiti charities at awards held that year, reflecting the emphasis on compliance and effectiveness during the transition. Officials have indicated that full adherence to the updated rules will amplify the benefit derived from each dinar spent on good causes.
