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UAE: 6 in 10 residents helped strangers, 52% donated to charity in 2024
Individuals are encouraged to donate through registered charity groups to ensure that funds are used for the right purposes
- PUBLISHED: Sun 2 Mar 2025, 2:08 PM
Over half of the UAE residents—52 per cent— said they donated money to charity, higher than the global average of 33 per cent, according to a global poll released by Gallup.
Donation and charity work pick up pace during the holy month of Ramadan—known as a month of giving—when charity groups raise funds for humanitarian works within and outside the country. Residents are encouraged to donate through registered charity groups to ensure that funds are used for the right purposes.
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Recently, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the launch of the Fathers’ Endowment campaign. The initiative aims to honour fathers by allowing individuals to donate in their name while promoting the values of honouring parents, compassion, and solidarity. It helps strengthen the UAE's position as a leader in charitable and humanitarian work and further establishes the concept of charitable endowments.
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Gallup data showed that fewer UAE residents donated last year compared to previous years.
Helping a stranger
Six out of 10 UAE residents—60 per cent— helped a stranger or someone they didn't know and needed help in the past year, higher than the global average, said Gallup.
However, the numbers are less than the past five years when more residents helped strangers. As the population has increased in the past few years, many new expats are coming to settle down in the Emirates. Home to over 200 nationalities, over eight million expat residents live in a coherent and peaceful atmosphere. In addition, millions of tourists also visit the UAE every month.
In 2024, 56 per cent of adults worldwide reported helping a stranger, a six-percentage-point drop from 2023.
More than one-third—37 per cent—of UAE residents said they volunteered their time to an organisation last year compared to the global average of 26 per cent.
“The global landscape of giving shifted in 2024. All forms of charitable giving experienced significant declines across the world. Despite these recent declines, overall levels of charitable giving remain higher than a decade ago, indicating a long-term trend of increased global generosity,” said Gallup.
