Law on Private Associations and Institutions (Requirements for Establishment)
“The Qatar Red Crescent Society”—A Qatari Association with Global Reach… How Can You Establish a Similar Association?
Qatar is home to numerous associations that have made a significant impact at the local, regional, and international levels. Among the most prominent is the Qatar Red Crescent Society, which has established a distinguished presence in international humanitarian forums. Founded in 1978 as Qatar’s first voluntary charitable organization, its primary mission has been to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without bias or discrimination. Although established in Qatar, its humanitarian work has expanded internationally through its membership in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement alongside the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and 190 National Societies worldwide.
The Qatar Red Crescent Society provides humanitarian relief and development services both within Qatar and abroad, supported by an extensive network of qualified employees and volunteers. According to its published strategy on its official website, the Society’s motto is “Safe Lives and Preserved Dignity,” reflecting its commitment to addressing humanitarian suffering and protecting human dignity.
Among the Society’s humanitarian efforts outside Qatar were its relief operations in Sudan, where it delivered 80 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the states of Al Jazirah and River Nile through a relief convoy launched in September 2023 in the presence of the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Sudan. The assistance included food supplies for families affected by armed conflict, torrential rains, and floods. The Society’s humanitarian efforts also extended to Morocco during the same month, where it provided emergency relief to victims of the devastating earthquake that claimed approximately 3,000 lives. As an initial emergency response, the Society allocated QAR 1 million in coordination with the Moroccan Red Crescent.
The foregoing demonstrates the significant role played by local associations in the State of Qatar and the growing influence they exert at the national, regional, and international levels. This raises an important question: How is an association established in the State of Qatar?
Articles (2) through (12) of Decree-Law No. (21) of 2020 on Private Associations and Institutions set out the procedures and legal requirements for establishing associations in the State of Qatar. Among the principal requirements are that an association must have no fewer than twenty founders; each founding member must be a Qatari national, at least eighteen years of age, and must not have been convicted by a final judgment of a crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust unless rehabilitated. With respect to the association’s memorandum of association, the Decree-Law requires the founders to convene as a single founding committee to prepare the memorandum and adopt the association’s Articles of Association, with all founders jointly bearing the costs of establishment. One of the most significant provisions is Article (1), which expressly provides that private associations and institutions must not be established for profit-making purposes.
Conclusion:
Many local Qatari associations play a vital role within society, with some extending their humanitarian and community impact beyond Qatar to the regional and international levels. One of the most prominent examples is the Qatar Red Crescent Society, which is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and has undertaken humanitarian missions in numerous crises around the world, including the conflict in Sudan and the Morocco earthquake. Qatari law prohibits the establishment of associations for profit-making purposes, ensuring that such organizations remain dedicated to humanitarian, social, and public service objectives without bias or discrimination.
