Federal Law No. (13) of 2018 on the Volunteer Work (family and community law)

Article (1)  
Definitions  
In application of the provisions of this Law, the following words and expressions shall have 
the meanings ascribed thereto unless the context requires otherwise:  
State  : The United Arab Emirates  
The Ministry  : Ministry of Community Development.  
The Minister  : Minister of Community Development.  
Competent 
Authority  : Local Competent Authority  
Authorities 
regulating the 
volunteer work  : Federal and local government authorities, civil societies and 
organisations and private secto r. 
Volunteer Work  : Every individual or team activity that is non -profit or job -free 
charge aiming at achieving benefit for the other.  
Volunteer  : Every registered natural or legal person practising a 
volunteering work free of charge or job -free charge  
Volunteering 
team  : A group of the registere d natural or legal persons forming a 
team among each other to conduct volunteering works free of 
charge or job -free charge.  
Volunteering 
opportunities  : Volunteering programmes with specified objectives and results  
Charter of 
Volunteer Work  : The document specifying the core values of volunteering and 
rights and duties of the volunteer and the volunteering teams.  
  
  
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Article (2)  
Goals  
This Law aims to the following:  
1. To disseminate, promote and enhance the culture of the volunteer work and raise the 
awareness of its importance.  
2. To regulate and develop the volunteer work.  
3. To harmonise between the outcome of the volunteer work in state and the government 
guidelines and national agenda.  
4. To enhance the diversity and innovation in the volunteering programmes and initiatives.  
5. To adopt a unified approach for the volunteer work in state.

Article (3)  
Scope of Application  
Provisions of this Law shall apply to the volunteer works, volunteers and volunteering 
teams, as well as the authorities regulating the volunteer work.

Article (4)  
Practising the volunteer work  
Practising the volunteer work shall be made as per the disciplines and terms specified in this 
Law and its Executive Regulation.

Article (5)  
Registration of the Volunteer Work  
1. A registry shall be created in the Ministry to register the volunteers and the volunteering 
teams.  
2. Upon coordination with the Ministry, the competent authority shall register the 
volunteers and the volunteering teams as specified in the Executive Regulation of this Law.   
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 3. It is prohibited to regulate any volunteer work inside or outside state unless it is licensed.  
4. The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the disciplines, terms and procedures 
of the registration and license.

Article (6)  
Requirements of the natural volunteer  
The natural person shall be required as follows:  
1. To be a national of the State or a resident therein.  
2. To be of no less than eighteen years old; whoever is less than eighteen years old may 
volunteer upon the consent of his parent.  
3. To be of good character and conduct.  
4. To be medically fit for the volunteer work assigned to him.  
5. To get a license to practice if he volunteers in his career.  
6. To be registered for practising the volunteer work.  
The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify any other requirements in addition to 
disciplines of applying the provision of this Article.

Article (7)  
Requirements of the legal volunteer  
The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the terms and disciplines of volunteering 
of the legal persons.

Article (8)  
The visiting volunteer  
The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the terms and disciplines of volunteering 
of the persons visiting the state.  
  
  
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Article (9)  
Volunteering of the government officers  
Upon coordination with the official federal and local human resources authorities, the 
Ministry shall develop the policies, mechanisms, disciplines and terms of the participation of 
the government officers in the volunteer work.

Article (10)  
Volunteering teams  
Volunteers may form a volunteering team as specified by the Executive Regulation of this Law.

Article (11)  
Obligations of authorities regulating volunteer work  
Authorities regulating the volunteer work shall be committed to the following:  
1. To provide the requirements of health and safety for the volunteers and the volunteering teams.  
2. To secure the volunteers and the volunteering teams while practising the volunteer 
work, when necessary.  
3. To qualify the volunteers and the volunteering teams by involving them in induction 
courses specialised in the volunteer work.  
4. To specify the tasks required to be done by the volunteer and the volunteering team.  
5. To provide the needs required to perform the task of the volunteer and the volunteering 
team.  
6. To keep the confidentiality of the personal information of the volunteer and the 
volunteering team.  
7. To make sure of the fulfilment of the volunteers and the volunteering teams therewith to the registration, according to provisions of this Law.  
  
  
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Article (12)  
Obligations of the volunteer and the volunteering team 
The volunteer and the volunteering team shall be committed to the following:  
1. Punctuality and working in the one team spirit according to requirements of the 
volunteer work.  
2. Adherence to all instructions issued to them and implementation of all tasks assigned to them.  
3. Commitment of the charter of volunteer work.  
4. Commitment to the legislations applicable in state.  
5. Keeping the confidentiality of the information and data that were accessed while 
conducting their volunteering tasks.  
6. Updating their personal data.  
7. Adherence to the task and its objectives and respecting the policy, systems and regulations of the authority regulating the volunteer work and preserving its property.  
8. Notifying the authority regulating the volunteer work upon suspending the volunteer work.  
9. Not to offer, provide, promote or advertise any goods or services during the volunteer work that gain financial benefits or personal earnings.  
10. Returning whatever they received as a trust, such as tools and equipment and devices, 
upon the termination of the volunteer work.  
11. Commitment to the instructions of security and safety.

Article (13)  
Coordination with the authorities regulating the volunteer work  
Upon coordination with the authorities regulating the volunteer work, the Ministry shall 
undertake the following competencies:  
1. To present the volunteering opportunities according to the professions and 
competencies and interests.  
2. Data of the volunteers and the volunteering teams in the volunteer work.   
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 3. To authenticate the volunteer works and hours.  
4. To market the events and attract more volunteers thereto.  
5. To adopt the awareness and educational programmes and activities for the society 
members and institutions regarding the volunteer work.  
6. To assess and classify the volunteer and the volunteering teams in keeping up with the 
volunteer work.  
7. To receive the complaints from the volunteers and the volunteering teams and against 
them.  
8. It is prohibited for the volunteers or the volunteering teams to raise funds or allow to be 
raised or declared through any mean unless under the prior consent of the Ministry.  
The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the means and disciplines of applying the provision of this Article.

Article (14)  
Volunteering in the emergency, crisis and disasters  
1. The National Emergency and Crisis and Disasters Management Authority shall undertake the coordination of the roles of the authorities regulating the volunteer work 
and supervise them in the emergency, crisis and disasters cases.  
2. The authorities regulating the volunteer work shall be committed to the resolutions and 
instructions issued by the National Emergency and Crisis and Disasters Management 
Authority in the emergency, crisis and disasters cases.

Article (15)  
Practising the volunteer work outside State  
The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the terms and disciplines of practising any 
volunteer work outside State.  
  
 
  
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Article (16)  
Sanctions  
Upon the vio lation of the volunteer or the regulator of the volunteer work to provisions of 
Articles (4), (5), (10) and (11) and Clauses (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11) of article (12) of this 
Law, the Ministry may take any of the following procedures:  
1. Warning.  
2. Written warning.  
3. Removing the violations and its effects at the cost of the violators.  
4. Suspending the volunteer of the volunteering team or the regulator of the volunteer 
work for the period specified by the Ministry.  
5. Cancelling the volunteer or the volunteering team or the regulator of the volunteer work 
from the registry.  
The Executive Regulation of this Law shall determine the procedures necessary for the 
imposing the sanctions.

Article (17)  
Punishments  
1. Punishments stipulated in this Law shall not prejudice to any more severe punishment stipulated by any other law.  
2. Everyone practises the volunteer work inside or outside the state in violation to 
provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulation shall be punished of a penalty of no 
less than (10.000) ten thousand Dirhams and no more than (100.000) one hundred 
thousand Dirhams.  
3. Everyone discloses confidential information or data that he got while performing his 
volunteering tasks shall be punished of a penalty of no more than (30.000) thirty 
thousand Dirhams.  
4. Everyone raises funds for the volunteering matters without the consent of the Ministry 
in violation to provisions of this Law shall be punished of a penalty of no less than 
(50.000) fifty thousand Dirhams.   
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Article (18)  
Charter of Volunteer Work  
The Minister shall issue the charter of the volunteer work as well as the resolutions 
necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of this Law.

Article (19)  
Executive Regulation  
The Cabinet shall issue the Executive Regulation of this Law, upon a proposal from the Minister, within three months as of the date of its publication.

Article (20)  
Repeals  
Any provision contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

Article (21)  
Publication and Enforcement  
This Law shall be published in the official Gazette and shall come into force three months 
after the date its publication.  
 
 
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan  
President of The United Arab Emirates  
 
Issued by Us at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi:  
Dated: Rabi' II 10, 1440 AH  
Corresponding to: December 18, 2018