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 sector.
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 registered 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.

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.

Provisions of this Law shall apply to the volunteer works, volunteers and volunteering teams, as well as the authorities regulating the volunteer work.

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

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.
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.

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.

The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the terms and disciplines of volunteering of the legal persons.

The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the terms and disciplines of volunteering of the persons visiting the state.

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.

Volunteers may form a volunteering team as specified by the Executive Regulation of this Law.

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.

The Executive Regulation of this Law shall specify the terms and disciplines of practising any volunteer work outside State.

Upon the violation 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.

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.

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.

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.

Any provision contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

This Law shall be published in the official Gazette and shall come into force three months after the date its publication.