UAE lacks PR in charity organization

B2G

07.03.2024

MENA

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been a significant contributor to charity in developing countries, which has been reflected in a variety of areas, where the state directed its aid. The traditions of charity and philanthropy have deep roots in the UAE and are an integral part of its religious and cultural heritage. Historically, in Islam the tradition of charity known as ‘Zakat’ has played an important role in the development of public opinion on charity. According to this tradition, muslims are required to give a portion of their wealth to those in need — the basis of this ritual is reflected by the historical development of charity over the years.

With the formation of the UAE in 1971 the government along with private individuals and entities began a joint effort to build up foundations and institutions to coordinate and facilitate charitable work. Examples include the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, and the Emirates Red Crescent.

In the beginning of 2024, Omniki.survey conducted a survey to assess the UAE’s contribution to global charitable efforts. We found out that the UAE is actively involved in providing humanitarian aid to the countries affected by conflicts (these include Yemen, Syria and Palestine). In a similar manner, the Emirates provided financial assistance in the matters of healthcare and economic development. The high level of foreign direct investment positively contributed in the sectors of health, infrastructure, energy and real estate. FDI inflows from the UAE stimulate economic growth, provide job opportunities and foster transfer technology in the receiving countries.

In the opinion of the respondents, the UAE is among the top-3 countries which dedicate their funds to charity. Participants from Germany, UK and France place the UAE as the third country spending the most on charity in developing countries, scoring 15,6%, 13,8% and 10,3% accordingly. Participants from the USA are most aware of the UAE’s charitable activity in developing countries and argue that it is the second most active country in this realm with 17,8%. The majority of the respondents indicate that the UAE’s activity in developing countries is mostly concentrated in education (13,4%), humanitarian aid (12,5%) and healthcare (11,4%).

According to the survey conducted, the majority of the respondents (61%) know nothing about UAE’s charitable activity or cannot assess it. At the same time, 19,6% of respondents assess UAE’s contribution to charity positively, whilst 19,3% of participants see UAE’s contribution negatively. The research also indicates that the older generation (35+) is less aware of the charitable activity conducted by the UAE, hitting no more than 19,8% compared to younger generation’s 27,5%. Geographically, the US citizens are more knowledgeable about the philanthropic actions of the UAE, being at 33,2%, followed by German (22,3%) and UK (19,8%) citizens.

This subject requires examination from various angles. To ensure the most impartial responses, Omniki.survey employs the river-sampling technique, which constructs a sample online without prior enlistment of participants into a panel. In this research model, individuals are recruited through online banners, targeted advertisements, and social media posts.

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• Global philantropic leaders;
• European perspectives on Arab countries’ charity;
• UAE’s charity assessment: expectation vs. reality.