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Charities in Bahrain

GiveRadar tracks 73 NGOs and charities in Bahrain. This is a curated directory compiled from arab.org, not the government's register of civil associations, which the Ministry of Social Development keeps but does not publish in full. A listing here shows an organization exists and what it does, not that it is currently registered or vetted.

73
Listed organizations
100%
arab.org profile on file
Education
Largest cause area
1 per 21,923
Residents per organization
Matt Timmermans Reviewed by Matt Timmermans Founder of GiveRadar · Checked August 23, 2026
Where this data comes from  ·  How current it is
The directory

All charities and NGOs in Bahrain

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The register at a glance

How many NGOs are there in Bahrain?

GiveRadar tracks 73 NGOs and charities in Bahrain, compiled from a public directory rather than the official register. The directory carries no registration numbers, so GiveRadar holds none, and the average integrity assessment across these organizations is 32 out of 100.

Whole-register totals
73 Listed organizations compiled from a pan-Arab NGO directory
79.5% Have a website 58 of them
1 per 21,923 Residents per organization Against a population of 1,600,366 (World Bank, 2025)
31.5/100 Average integrity assessment A measure of disclosure, not impact or effectiveness

This is a small but well-linked set: GiveRadar has a website for 63 of the Bahraini organizations here (86%), but little else the register would hold, and no financial accounts, so they score low on disclosure by default. It is a directory slice, not the whole of Bahrain's association sector.

Data sources

Where does GiveRadar's Bahrain data come from?

GiveRadar's Bahrain data is a curated directory compiled from arab.org, a privately run pan-Arab NGO portal, and enriched with web research. It is not the official register: Bahraini associations and private charitable organisations are registered with the Ministry of Social Development under the 1989 associations law, which is not published as a full searchable register. A listing here does not confirm current registration.

arab.org NGO portal arab.org ↗
The privately run pan-Arab NGO directory this data is compiled from; a user-contributable portal, not a Bahraini government register
73 records 100% coverage
Ministry of Social Development mlsd.gov.bh ↗
The ministry that registers and supervises Bahraini civil associations and private charitable organisations under the 1989 associations law
Bahrain National Portal bahrain.bh ↗
The official government services portal, including registration and fundraising-licence services for civil organisations
One GiveRadar profile
73
Share of profiles carrying each field
Financial return 0%
Expense breakdown 0%
Website 79.5%
Contact email 17.8%
Freshness

How current is GiveRadar's Bahrain data?

June 1, 2026 Register last refreshed The most recent full pass over the Bahraini data. Any profile with its own newer edit carries that later date instead.
August 23, 2026 This page last reviewed When the figures, wording and sources on this page were last checked against the register.

GiveRadar refreshes its Bahrain data in periodic passes rather than a live feed. Because the source is a directory rather than the ministry register, a recent organization or a change of status may not be reflected here yet.

Learn more with our country guide

Giving in Bahrain

How the charity sector is regulated, what kinds of nonprofits operate, and how to evaluate them before you give.

How many NGOs are there in Bahrain, and who registers them?

GiveRadar tracks 73 NGOs and charities in Bahrain. This is a curated directory compiled from arab.org, not the official register. Bahraini civil associations and private charitable organisations are registered and supervised by the Ministry of Social Development under Decree-Law 21 of 1989.

The ministry does not publish a full searchable register, so GiveRadar's list is a directory, not that record. It shows an organization exists and what it does, not that it is currently registered.

Is charitable fundraising controlled in Bahrain?

Yes. A charity must be registered and published, have a functioning board and use an approved bank account, and it needs a separate licence to collect donations. That includes collection through sealed charity boxes.

Accepting funds from abroad and transferring funds overseas require further approvals, all handled through the Bahrain National Portal. A collection box on its own is a fundraising method, not proof that the collecting organisation is registered.

What does registration in Bahrain prove, and what does it not?

Registration establishes that an organisation was legally constituted and entered in the ministry's records under the 1989 law. It is legal recognition, not a verdict on the organisation.

It does not prove current good standing, financial integrity or impact, that a particular campaign or bank account is authorised, or permission to receive foreign funds. Bahrain also has no general income tax, so registration is not a tax-exemption certificate.

How do you check a Bahraini charity before you donate?

Confirm the organisation's registration and its campaign's fundraising licence before giving. A recognisable name or a website is not a substitute for a current registration.

  • Verify the exact name, registration number and legal form with the Ministry of Social Development.
  • Confirm any fundraising campaign is separately licensed.
  • Ask for recent accounts and evidence of completed work.
  • See GiveRadar's integrity score methodology for what each data point proves.
FAQ

Common questions

How do charities register in Bahrain?

Bahraini civil associations and private charitable organisations register with the Ministry of Social Development under Decree-Law 21 of 1989. The application includes founding minutes, founders' identification and an Arabic constitution; the ministry also supervises boards and can inspect the organisation.

Is GiveRadar's Bahrain list the official register?

No, it is a curated directory compiled from arab.org, covering 73 organizations. The official record is held by the Ministry of Social Development, which does not publish a full searchable register, so a listing here is a starting point, not proof of registration.

Are the organizations on GiveRadar's Bahrain page vetted charities?

No, they are listed organizations, not vetted charities. Ministry registration confirms that an association was legally constituted; it does not certify current good standing, effectiveness or governance, and a directory listing is not registration at all.

Is fundraising controlled in Bahrain?

Yes, charitable fundraising in Bahrain is strictly controlled. A charity must be registered and published, have a functioning board and use an approved bank account, and it needs a separate fundraising licence to collect donations, including through sealed collection boxes. Accepting funds from abroad and transferring funds overseas require further approvals.

Are donations to Bahraini charities tax-deductible?

Bahrain generally has no personal income tax and ordinarily no general corporate income tax, so registration should not be presented as a tax-exemption certificate. Sector-specific taxes, VAT and customs rules can still apply, so confirm any claimed benefit before relying on it.

What does GiveRadar hold for Bahraini organizations?

GiveRadar holds a name, a cause category and often a website for the Bahraini organizations here, with a website for 86% and an email for about one in six. It holds no registration number, no financial accounts and no current-status detail, which the directory does not carry.

Why are so few Bahraini charities shown on GiveRadar?

The small count reflects how little of Bahrain's civil-society sector is openly listed, not its real size. Bahraini associations are registered with the Ministry of Social Development, which does not publish a full searchable register, so GiveRadar shows what a public directory documents today and plans to broaden the country's coverage over time.

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