Cabinet Resolution No. (70) of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law No. (13) of 2018 Concerning Volunteer Work (family and community law)

Article (1)  
Definitions  
For applying the provisions hereof, the following terms and expressions shall bear the 
meanings ascribed thereto respectively , unless otherwise required by the context:  
UAE  : United Arab Emirates  
Ministry  : Ministry of Community Development  
Minister  : Minist er of Community Development  
Competent Authority  : The local authority vested with the competence of 
regulating the voluntary work  
Head  : The Head of the Competent Authority  
Law  : Federal Law No. (13) of 2018 Concerning Volunteer 
Work  
Volunteer Work  : Any individual or collective activity carried out with 
the intention to achieve a benefit for others in return 
for no financial or job compensation  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  2 
 Volunteer  : Every registered natural or legal person that carries 
out voluntary work without in return for no financial 
or job compensation  
Volunteer Team  : A group of registered natural or legal persons forming 
one team to perform voluntary work in return for no 
financial or job compensation  
Volunteer 
Opportunities  : Voluntary programs with specific objectives and 
outcomes  
Natural -Person 
Volunteer  : Every society member who engages in voluntary 
work of his/ her fre e will in return for no financial or 
job compensation  
Legal -Person Volunteer  : Every government or private institution, association, 
or public benefit organization that is registered or 
licensed in the UAE and carries out voluntary work 
through human, financial, or in -kind resources 
thereof  
Visitor Volunteer  : Everyone who enters the UAE’s territory under a 
visitor’s or tourist’s visa and desires to carry out 
voluntary work of his/ her own free will in return for 
no financial or job compensation  
Volunteer Work Charter  : A document that sets out the values, rules, rights, 
duties and guidelines for volunteers and Volunteer 
Teams  
Register  : An interactive website created by the Ministry and 
connecting the Ministry, the competent authority, 
and the entities organizing voluntary work together. 
The website includes a database of individual 
volunteers, Volunteer Teams, entities  organizing 
voluntary work, and volunteering opportunities. This Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  3 
 Register is known as "the National Volunteer ing 
Platform"

Article (2)  
Controls for Carrying out Voluntary Work  
Upon carrying out voluntary work, the following controls shall be observed : 
1. The voluntary work shall achieve community benefit;  
2. The voluntary work may not compromise society security and safety;  
3. The voluntary work may not cause  harm to others, environment, properties or 
privacy rights;  
4. The voluntary work may not conflict with legislation, customs, and public order of 
the UAE;  
5. The voluntary work shall be licensed by the Ministr y or the competent authority ; 
6. The voluntary work shall avoid conflict of interests or achievement of personal 
benefits;  
7. The voluntary work shall avoid display, presentation, promotion or advertising of 
any good or service during performance of the voluntar y work;  
8. The voluntary work shall respect policies, statutes, and by -laws of the entity 
organizing voluntary work, protect properties thereof, and comply with the tasks 
and objectives of the voluntary work; and  
9. The voluntary work shall maintain confidential ity of information and data 
accessed during carrying out  the voluntary work.

Article (3)  
Registration of Voluntary Work  
1. Either the Ministry or the competent authority shall register volunteers and 
volunteering opportunities  in their registers assigned for this purpose as follows:  
a. Registration of Volunteers:  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  4 
 1) Create a personal account on the National Volunteering Platform or on  
any other platform belonging to the competent authority;  
2) Satisfy all requirements stipulated for carrying out voluntary work;  
3) Provide all required documents and exhibits; and  
4) Accept the Voluntary Work Charter.  
b. Registration of Volunteering op portunities : 
1) Create an account in the name of the organizing entity on the National 
Volunteering Platform or on any other platform belonging to the 
competent authority;  
2) Provide all required data, information, and documents and satisfy all 
requirements and controls of volunteering opportunities ; and  
3) Submit an application for registration of volunteering opportunities . 
Registration of volunteering  opportunity and presentation thereof on the National 
Volunteering Platform or on any other platform belonging to the competent authority 
shall be considered as a license  of the same.  
2. Through the National Volunteering Platform and in coordination with the entities 
organizing voluntary work, the Ministry shall:  
a. Document voluntary work and volunteer hours;  
b. Market events and attract more volunteers;  
c. Approve programs and activities for raising awareness and education of 
society members and organizations and app rove everything pertaining to  
the voluntary work; and  
d. Evaluate and classify volunteers and Volunteer Team s in a manner 
appropriate for voluntary work requirements.

Article (4)  
Requirements for Natural -Person Volunteer  
Upon carrying out voluntary work, a volunteer of natural personality shall:  
1. Satisfy all requirements provided for in the Law;  
2. Accept the voluntary work charter; and  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  5 
 3. In case of specialized volunteering, he/she shall have a license to practice the 
profession for professions requiring  so or requiring academic or experience 
certificates .

Article (5)  
Requirements for Legal -Person Volunteer  
Upon carrying out voluntary work, a volunteer of legal personality shall:  
1. Be licensed by the entities concerned to work; and  
2. Satisfy all requirements and controls for volunteering opportunities desired to 
volunteer in respect of which.

Article (6)  
Requirements for Visitor Volunteer   
Upon carrying out voluntary work, a Visitor Volunteer  shall:  
1. Satisfy all requirements for volunteers of natural or legal personalities provided for 
in the Law and herein excluding requirement no. (1) of article (6) of th e Law;  
2. Engage in voluntary activities in the fields approved by the Ministry or the 
competent authority;  
3. Duration of volunteering for the volunteering opportunity may not exceed the 
duration  of the visit to the UAE.

Article (7)  
Virtual Voluntary Work  
In coordination with the Ministry or the competent authority, the entity organizing 
voluntary work shall specify the requirements and controls to be satisfied and adhered 
to by volunteers upon carrying out virtual voluntary work according to the nature of 
volunteering opportunity.  
 
 Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  6

Article (8)  
Formation of Volunteer Team s 
Following requirements shall be satisfied for the formation of Volunteer Team s: 
1. Number of the team -founding members may not be less than (5) five members;  
2. All founding members shall satisfy requirements for carrying out voluntary work 
provided for in the Law and herein;  
3. The team shall submit a written Bylaws  and signed by all founding members; and  
4. Volunteer Team  members shall be governed by same provisions and controls 
provided for in the Law and  in the resolutions pertaining to volunteering made 
thereunder, and other provisions and controls.  
A legal person may form volunteer team in accordance with the provision s set forth 
above, provided that founding members shall be from among employees working for 
said legal person. Members  who are not employees of the legal person may join the 
team subject to prior approval of the Minister or the Head.

Article (9)  
Volunteer Team ’s Bylaws  
Founding members shall meet in order to develop the Volunteer Team ’s Bylaws  
provided that said Bylaws  include  the following data:  
1. Team name and scope of work; provided that same be specified in coordination 
with the Ministry and the  competent authority;  
2. Duration of team operation  (fixed term/ non -fixed term);  
3. Team objectives;  
4. Team obligations in accordance with article (12) of the Law;  
5. Requirements for membership, procedures of membership approval and removal, 
and rights and duties of members;  
6. Controls for approval of membership of persons under (18) years old and 
procedures necessary for voluntary work;  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  7 
 7. Method of and requirements for selection of the team leader and his/ her 
functions;  
8. Rules of amending the Bylaws ; 
9. Financial resources of the team to the extent required for implementation of the 
volunteering opportunity , methods of exploitation and disposition of said 
resources, and methods of control over spending the same; and  
10. Condition s and rules for dissolution of the team, and entity whereto the team 
assets, if any, shall be transferred.  
In coordination with the competent authority, the Ministry shall prepare a model form 
for the Volunteer Team s' Bylaws .

Article (10)  
Team Leader  
 Founding members shall select a team leader from among themselves . Such a leader 
shall be responsible before all entities concerned for providing follow -up on the team ’s 
work.

Article (11)  
Licensing  
Either the team leader or his/ her delegate shal l submit a license application to the 
Ministry or to the competent authority using the form assigned for this purpose. The 
application shall be accompanied by the following documents:  
1. Team Bylaws  signed by the founding members;  
2. Copies of passports and ID Cards of the founding members; and  
3. Signed list including  founding members ' data and personal photos of each 
member.  
The Ministry and the competent authority shall prepare a register whereon license  
applications shall be registered.  
 Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  8

Article (12)  
Considerat ion of the License  Application  
Either the Ministry or the competent authority, as applicable, shall consider the 
Volunteer Team  license  application, and shall make a decision within (30) thirty 
business days either to approve or to reject the application, and the team shall be 
notified of the same. Otherwise, the Ministry or the competent authority shall make 
certain amendments to the tea m Bylaws  as deemed appropriate.

Article (13)  
Grievance  
A grievance against the licens e application rejection decision shall be filed either with 
the Ministry or with the competent authority, as applicable, no later than  (15) fifteen 
days the date of being notified of the rejection decision. The grievance shall be decided 
on within (15) fifteen business days from the date of filing the same. The decision 
made by the Minister or the Head of the competent authority shall be final. Non -
response to the grievance within the same period shall be deemed a rejection of the 
grievance.

Article (14)  
Unlicensed Volu nteer Team s 
Any group or entity shall neither call itself a Volunteer Team  nor carry out any of the 
Volunteer Team s’ activities or voluntary work other than in accordance with the 
provisions of the Law and of this Resolution. In case of violation, the penalties set forth 
in the Law shall be imposed based on  severity and nature of the violation. Same shall 
apply  without prejudice to the civil and  criminal responsibilities.  
 
 
 
 Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  9

Article (15)  
Commitment  to the Objectives  
Volunteer Team s may not deviate from the objectives specified in the Bylaws  thereof. 
The team and the members thereof shall be prohibited from carry ing out any work in 
violation of the Law or this Resolution.

Article (16)  
Supervision and Control  
Volunteer Team s shall be supervised and controlled by the Ministry or the competent 
authority, as applicable, and may organize training course s, and provide technical 
advice and various kinds of sponsorship in a manner that would raise the level of 
services, and achieving efficiency of Volunteer Team s' performance .

Article (17)  
Reports  
Volunteer Team s shall submit to the Ministry or to the competent authority regular 
quarterly reports on the activities and events carried out and organized  thereby, and  
on the  financing resources, if any. The team shall have all volunteering opportunities 
registered on the National Volunteering Platform or on any other platform of the 
competent authority.

Article (18)  
Fundraising  
1. Volunteers shall be prohibited from raising or accepting donations nor permitting 
fundraising thereof or advertising the same through any means whatsoever;  
2.  Volunteer Team s may collect donations after approval of the Ministry through 
requesting provision of financial or in -kind sponsorship to the extent necessary for 
implementation of the volunteering opportunity under the follow ing 
requirements and controls:  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  10 
 a. An application using the form prepared for this purpose shall be submitted 
to the Ministry;  
b. Kind and value of sponsorship required for implementation of the 
volunteering opportunity shall be specified;  
c. In case of approval of the application, the Ministry shall display the 
volunteering opportunities on the platform to attract  sponsorship thereto;  
d. In case of availability of full sponsorship of the opportunities as stated in 
the application, the Volunteer Team  shall implement the opportunity  in 
accordance with required procedures;  
e. In case of unavailability of required sponsorship, the team may reques t 
cancellation  of the opportunity, the team shall refund all and any 
sponsorships received thereby to the parties concerned within (15) fifteen 
days; and  
f. The Volunteer Team  shall submit to the Ministry a detailed report on any 
sponsorships received thereby  to support volunteering opportunities.

Article (19)  
Controls and Requirements  for Carrying Out  
Voluntary Work Outside the UAE  
1. Controls for Carrying out Voluntary Work outside the UAE:  
a. Volunteering opportunity intended to be executed may not conflict with 
the UAE policies and legislation;  
b. Volunteering opportunity shall serve the UAE vision and foreign policy ; 
c. Volunteering opportunity shall be satisfying all conditions and 
requirements of the entities concerned with foreign affairs; and  
d. Volunteering opportunity shall be introduced through an entity registered, 
licensed or notarized inside the UAE via the National Volunteering Platform 
or any other platform of the competent authority.  
2. Requirements for Carrying out Voluntary Work outside th e UAE : 
a. Volunteer shall be at least (21) twenty -one years old; and  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  11 
 b. Volunteer may not have been  punished with a custodial sentence on the 
grounds of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or breach 
of trust, unless amnestied or rehabilitated.

Article (20)  
Complaints  
The Ministry or the competent authority, each within its area of competenc e, shall 
receive complaints filed by  or against  volunteers, Volunteer Team s, or the entities 
organizing voluntary work ; provided that complaints shall be filed within (15) fifteen 
days from occurrence of the event subject of the complaint. Complaints shall be 
considered and replied  to no later than  (15) fifteen business days of the date of filing 
the same.

Article (21)  
Penalties  
Upon imposi ng any of the penalties provided for in article (16) of the Law, the Ministry 
shall:  
1. Prepare a report on the violation committed;  
2. Notify the violator of the violations committed and  date for reply to the same. 
Failure to reply within the set date shall be deemed an acknowledgement of the 
violation;  
3. Consider the violation after passage of the deadline set for reply, as either the case 
shall be discontinued or a proportional penalty shall be imposed based on  severity 
and nature of th e violation committed without consideration to the hierarchy of 
punishments, same shall apply without prejudice to civil or criminal liabilities, as 
necessary;  and  
4. Delegate the competent authority to impose the penalties provided for in Article 
(16) of the  Law in accordance with procedures set forth in this Article. The Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  12 
 competent authority shall submit to the Ministry regular reports on the violations 
committed and penalties imposed on violators.  
Every stakeholder may file a grie vance with the Minister or the H ead of the competent 
authority against  the decisions made and actions taken against itself under provisions 
of this Article within (15) fifteen days from being notified of the decision or the action 
against which the grievance is filed. Th e grievance shall be decided on within (30) 
thirty business days from filing thereof. Non -reply to the grievance within said period 
shall be deemed a rejection thereof.

Article (22)  
Adjustment of Affairs  
Everyone engaging in voluntary work at the time of issuance of this Resolution shall 
apply to the Ministry or to the competent authority in order to have their affairs 
adjusted in accordance with this Resolution no later than  (6) six months of the date of 
entry of this Resolut ion into force.

Article (23)  
Implementing Resolutions  
The Minister shall issue the resolutions and forms necessary for implementation of 
provisions of this Resolution.  
 
  Cabinet Resolution of 2020 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law of 2018 Concerning 
Volunteer Work  13

Article (24)  
Repeals  
Any and all other provisions shall be repealed to the extent that they go against or 
conflict with provisions of this Resolution.

Article (25)  
Publication and Entry into Force  
This Resolution shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force on 
the day following the date of its publication.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum  
Prime Minister  
 
Issued by us : 
On: 10 Rab i’ Al Awwal 1442 AH  
Corresponding to: 27 October 2020  AD