Sunday 14 / June / 2026
Muscat: The Ministry of Social Development has affirmed that the issuance of the Civil Society Institutions Law reflects a strong commitment to advancing the social work system and regulating the civil society sector, thereby enhancing institutional efficiency and reinforcing the principles of governance and transparency.
The ministry said the new law establishes a new phase in regulating civil society institutions by empowering them and strengthening their role as active partners in sustainable community development, responding to growing public demands for an updated legislative framework governing their work.
The law aims to regulate the civil society sector within a modern and sustainable legislative framework, support civil society as a key partner in social development, enhance public trust in voluntary work, raise the social impact of civil society institutions, and bring stability and clarity to the community work environment. It also seeks to keep pace with evolving societal needs and the growing diversity of initiatives, while strengthening integration between government and community efforts.
The law comprises 83 articles divided into six chapters covering definitions and general provisions, associations, foundations, social clubs, volunteer work and penalties.
The ministry noted that the law provides precise and clear definitions for each type of civil society institution, a step towards clarifying the legal framework and defining competencies, enabling each institution to exercise its powers efficiently and effectively. The law grants voluntary teams the legal personality, similar to other civil society institutions, providing them with a stable legal foundation that regulates volunteer work, safeguards their rights and obligations, and enhances the sustainability of their work and community initiatives.
The Ministry of Social Development said the new Civil Society Institutions Law includes several benefits and privileges for voluntary teams and associations, most notably exemption from property ownership fees, reduced fees on work permits for non‑Omani employees, and the possibility of additional privileges to be determined by the minister with approval from relevant authorities.
The law establishes a number of controls and prohibitions, the ministry said. These include a ban on sending delegations abroad or hosting members of foreign associations in Oman without ministry approval, a ban on providing assistance to individuals or entities outside Oman except through Oman Charitable Organization, and a prohibition on forming bodies of a military or security nature, interfering in religious, sectarian or tribal affairs, inciting discrimination, racism or hatred, or financing, supporting or promoting electoral campaigns. However, associations may open their premises for election campaigning under rules set by the Ministry of Interior.
Unlike previous legislation, the law does not exclusively define the fields of activity for civil society institutions, allowing for the expansion and development of community work and enabling individuals to establish institutions and initiatives serving evolving societal needs. The law also gives associations greater flexibility by permitting general assembly meetings to be held in person or through modern technology, facilitating member participation and improving organisational efficiency.
The ministry explained that general assembly members are prohibited from receiving remuneration from the association or its activities or projects, receiving funds from its revenues, or voting on matters in which they have a personal interest, except for the election of the board of directors. Association assets, both fixed and movable, are considered its property and are treated as public funds under the Penal Law.
The law allows professional associations to establish technical bodies related to their activities in coordination with relevant authorities. It also permits, by decision of the minister after the Council of Minister’s approval, the granting of public benefit status to an association upon or after its establishment. Additionally, the minister may entrust public benefit associations with the management of a social institution under the ministry or the implementation of certain projects or programmes of state administrative units.
The Ministry of Social Development said the new Civil Society Institutions Law defines a foundation as an entity established by allocating cash or in‑kind assets from one or more natural or legal persons, for a fixed or indefinite period, with activities directed towards serving the community. The law requires the allocation of no less than RO one million to establish a foundation. Each foundation shall have a board of trustees selected by the founders, with the internal bylaw specifying the method of selection, provided that founders are represented proportionally according to their share in the foundation’s capital.
The law prohibits foundations from collecting or receiving funds from any source beyond their specified funding sources, the ministry said. All assets and property of a foundation belong to the foundation, and founders, trustees, their successors and heirs have no rights therein.
A social club is defined as an entity established by natural or legal persons to serve members in social, cultural and recreational fields. The law permits the establishment of social clubs for Omani citizens, with implementing regulations specifying procedures and conditions, responding to societal needs for a more flexible framework than traditional associations. It also permits clubs for residents and allows branches in governorates other than the headquarters governorate, subject to ministry approval. Club licences are valid for three years from publication of a summary of their internal bylaw in the Official Gazette.
Voluntary work is defined as non‑governmental, non‑profit activity aimed at achieving social, health, cultural, developmental, relief or awareness purposes. The law permits one voluntary team per wilayat, operating within its authorised geographical scope, each with its own board of directors. Individual voluntary initiatives for specific projects are also permitted under conditions to be outlined in implementing regulations.
The Civil Society Institutions Law provides an integrated framework regulating the 261 civil society institutions in the Sultanate of Oman, reflecting the evolution of voluntary work, enhancing financial discipline and oversight, and enabling institutions as development partners.
As of the first quarter of 2026, Oman has 71 Omani women’s associations and branches with 11,926 members, 49 professional associations with 14,099 members, 37 charity associations with 5,246 volunteers, 24 social clubs for expatriate communities with 3,846 members, 15 charity foundations with 73 volunteers and 65 voluntary teams.
