JD16m approved in foreign funds for local NGOs

AMMAN — The Ministry of Social Development has approved foreign funding worth JD16 million for projects implemented by local organisations, a ministry official said Monday.

The ministry received 250 applications from civil society organisations, but approved only 195, said Mahmoud Tarawneh, the minister’s media adviser.

“We have accepted only 195 applications that met the requirements and referred the requests to the Cabinet for approval,” Tarawneh told The Jordan Times.

The majority of applications, he said, were requests to support projects for organisations serving people with disabilities, training programmes for those that run children’s projects, and care centres.

“We also supported organisations that prepare aid parcels for the needy and persons with disabilities,” Tarawneh added.

The official said the National Registry of Societies board at the ministry dissolved 41 charitable societies across Jordan last year, and placed 70 others under the jurisdiction of temporary commissions until they rectify their situations.

The societies in question had repeatedly violated the Civil Society Organisations Law by not practising their work within one year of their establishment, not submitting annual balance sheets, or not having a headquarters, Tarawneh said.

He added that the ministry is investigating three societies “suspected of receiving foreign funding without obtaining approval from the Cabinet or the ministry”.

The assets of dissolved associations are referred to the registry in accordance with the law.

On the other hand, 393 new societies were registered last year, increasing the total number of charities operating in Jordan to 3,080, Tarawneh noted.