The Refugee Zakat Fund, launched in 2019 by UNHCR, has been a key partnership mechanism – effective, compliant, and trusted by institutions and individuals. Since its piloting in 2017, over 6 million beneficiaries were assisted, thanks to more than $192 million received through the Refugee Zakat Fund, more than 78% of which has been Zakat.

UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund is subject to rigorous governance and oversight, ensuring transparency at every step, leading to the provision of assistance.

Introduction

This UNHCR report highlights the global impact of Zakat and Sadaqah contributions – received via UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund in 2022 – on the lives of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). As the number of forcibly displaced persons across the world crosses 100 million due to conflict and climate change, there is a greater necessity to innovate and seek alternative solutions to cover their immediate humanitarian and developmental needs.

Overall Impact of Zakat and Sadaqah Contributions

UNHCR assisted more than 1.5 million refugees and IDPs in 21 countries with Zakat and Sadaqah contributions received in 2022. Partners such as His Excellency Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah bin Thani Al Thani and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) were instrumental in achieving this impact – in addition to UNHCR’s global Ramadan and winter campaigns, and the Refugee Zakat Fund mobile app.

Since the piloting of the Refugee Zakat Fund in 2017, Zakat and Sadaqah contributions have enabled UNHCR to support over 6 million refugees and IDPs in 26 countries.

Moreover, Zakat and Sadaqah funds received by UNHCR are contributing to the realization of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include, most notably, No Poverty (SDG 1), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6).

Impact of Zakat

In 2022, Zakat contributions received through the Refugee Zakat Fund helped more than 727,000 beneficiaries in 17 countries, including refugees in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Pakistan, Somalia, and Tunisia. These funds have also helped IDPs in Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. This was made possible by $21.4 million received in Zakat contributions during 2022. These funds were allocated in accordance with the 100% Zakat distribution policy, as per the 15 fatwas UNHCR has received over the past several years.

Since the piloting of the Refugee Zakat Fund in 2017, Zakat contributions have assisted more than 4 million refugees and IDPs in 18 countries.

Impact of Sadaqah

In 2022, Sadaqah funds helped more than 839,000 beneficiaries in 15 countries, including refugees in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Greece, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Tunisia. Additionally, they have helped IDPs in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Yemen. This was made possible by $16.7 million received in Sadaqah contributions during 2022.

Since the piloting of the Refugee Zakat Fund in 2017, Sadaqah contributions have
assisted more than 1.9 million refugees and IDPs in 20 countries.

Events

March: Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report 2022 launch

Ahead of Ramadan 2022, UNHCR launched its Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report 2022 through a series of events and webinars held in Indonesia, KSA, Nigeria, United Kingdom, and Canada. These events were organized in collaboration with Islamic institutions as well as charitable and governmental organisations, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) and Indonesia’s Komite Nasional Ekonomi dan Keuangan Syariah (KNEKS). On March 29th, a day before the report launch in KSA, a closed session had been held with a number of Islamic organizations, at the IIFA offices in Jeddah, to discuss how UNHCR can improve the Refugee Zakat Fund’s approach to Zakat compliance.

September: Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR) launch

On 22 September, on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York, UNHCR launched the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR) at a joint event with the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) – the poverty alleviation arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). A first-of-its-kind Shariah-compliant financing tool with a Waqf account and a non-Waqf account, the GIFR aims to provide developmental and humanitarian assistance to those impacted by displacement crises. This addition to UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy programme, which previously primarily focused on Zakat and Sadaqah, represents a significant step towards serving those in need.

October: Islamic Philanthropy Mid-Year Report 2022 launch

On 12 October, in collaboration with the Zakat House of Kuwait, UNHCR launched its Islamic Philanthropy Mid-Year Report 2022, which highlighted the humanitarian impact of Zakat and Sadaqah donations received through UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund through the first half of 2022. The report was released during an event held at the United Nations House in Kuwait, in coordination with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Campaigns

Global Ramadan Campaign

For the 9th year in a row, ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, UNHCR launched its global Ramadan campaign “Every Gift Counts”, which sheds light on the plight and needs of refugees and IDPs across the world, with the aim to mobilize the necessary resources to cover these humanitarian needs. The campaign allowed UNHCR to provide assistance to over 100,000 refugees and IDPs. Zakat and Sadaqah donations played a leading role in achieving this impact.

Winter Campaign

On 13 November, UNHCR launched its winter campaign to benefit refugees and IDPs in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt who are in need of essential winter assistance. The campaign helped UNHCR implement its winter programme which includes providing seasonal cash assistance to help families acquire heaters, fuel, and winter clothes, in addition to shelter weatherproofing and distribution of winter core relief items. Every year, Zakat and Sadaqah donations contribute to providing this winter assistance to the most vulnerable refugee and internally displaced families.

Compliance Review

In cooperation with Tabah Foundation, UNHCR conducts an annual review process to ensure Sharia compliance of its Zakat distribution activities. On 6 September, the review process was conducted for the fourth year in a row and included reviewing distribution of Zakat to refugee recipients in Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia. Ultimately, Tabah Foundation endorsed UNHCR’s Zakat distribution activities in these three countries, as they were found to be compliant with the fatwas received by UNHCR. Tabah also made recommendations to improve how fatwas are adhered to by UNHCR.

Humanitarian Needs

In 2023, UNHCR’s global needs rose to $10.2 billion in order to assist an expected 117.3 million refugees, IDPs and other persons of concern, out of which more than $2.7 billion are needed in countries where UNHCR distributes Zakat and Sadaqah, to help over 17 million refugees and IDPs with various interventions, including much needed cash assistance and essential goods.

Assalamualaikum Warahmahtullahi Wabarrakatuh dear reader,

Bank Syariah Indonesia is proud to join UNHCR in launching the Islamic Philanthropy 2023 Annual Report in Indonesia. We recognise UNHCR to be a well trusted distributor and friend in the utilization of Zakat and Islamic social funds to aid needy refugees and displaced persons across the globe.

The Ukraine crisis, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic all have one thing in common. They have demonstrated how interconnected the world is. What takes place in one continent has a direct impact in another. Unfortunately, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, economic crises often hit the most vulnerable communities the hardest. For many people, 2022 has meant a loss of income, loss of a home, loss of a loved one and loss of hope. It is our intention to help vulnerable communities across the world – including refugees – gain back hope in humanity and show them that they are not alone.

BSI recognizes UNHCR’s difficult undertaking in 2023 to help the over 117 million people under its care, including refugees and internally displaced persons. No one chooses to become a refugee. No one should be forced to make the heart-breaking choice to leave home just to survive, only to be met with more challenges when they finally reach safety. I sympathize and empathize with refugees and wish to rally others around this call for compassion and solidarity. Refugees are resilient, strong, and brave. Their circumstances should not define them, we should look beyond their status as refugees to see their potential.

More than 50% of the refugees come from countries which are part of the OIC, of which Indonesia is also a member country. It is incumbent upon us in our faith to help our brothers and sisters in need and this can only lead to goodness in this life and the next. Whilst we may not be able to help all refugees in the world, we can change someone’s world. The important thing is to start because every step, every bit of help counts. We must work together to find sustainable ways of supporting refugees so that they can get back on their feet, become self-reliant and leverage their true potential as positive contributions to our societies and communities.

With the continuous increase in humanitarian needs among refugees and displaced people, we invite all Islamic corporations and Amils Zakat in Indonesia to support UNHCR as a reliable partner through which to help vulnerable displaced families. Your support will go a long way to give the ummah a second chance in a life, a better life, and a life they deserve,

Jazakhallah Khairun Kathira,

Hery Gunardi

CEO, Bank Syariah Indonesia

Dear Reader,

As with each of the previous reports, this year’s Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report showcases the wide-reaching impact that Zakat and Sadaqah funds, received through the Refugee Zakat Fund, continue to have on the lives of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people around the world.

Today there are more than 100 million people who have been forced from their homes; around half from and in member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). These men, women and children urgently need help and support.

While governments take the lead in the response, there is also an important role for faith-based philanthropy to help meet the needs of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. The Refugee Zakat Fund remains UNHCR’s flagship Islamic philanthropy vehicle to help address those needs, using Zakat and Sadaqah contributions.

Since its launch in 2017, the Refugee Zakat Fund operated by UNHCR has received endorsements from prestigious scholars and institutions from across the Muslim world, including Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy, OIC’s International Islamic Fiqh Academy, Muslim World League, Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, and Malaysia’s International Shariah Research Academy. I am grateful to these partners for their trust in UNHCR and our ability to distribute Zakat funds transparently and effectively, including in hard-to-reach areas around the world.

Thanks to the tremendous support for the Refugee Zakat Fund, UNHCR has reached more than 6 million people in 26 countries with Sharia compliant assistance. This not only alleviates the hardship and suffering of some of the world’s most vulnerable, but also reinforces the strong solidarity that exists throughout the Islamic world with refugees. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all our partners and supporters around the world who continue to entrust UNHCR with their Zakat and Sadaqah contributions.

Our particular thanks to His Excellency Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani as well as Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives for their continued and generous support. I also thank the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and its poverty alleviation arm, the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), for partnering with us in launching the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR) – another innovative financing tool comprising a Waqf modality to support developmental and humanitarian solutions to displacement crises.

Regrettably, as the number of displaced grows and their humanitarian plight continues or even worsens, they need more support. I therefore invite and encourage individuals, organisations and other donors around the world to consider contributing part of their Zakat and Sadaqah funds to these vulnerable groups. These contributions play an essential role in providing the necessities to live a decent life throughout the year, especially for those who need our help and support more than ever.

Thank you.

Filippo Grandi

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, Muhammad, his family and companions.

Throughout history, societies have witnessed successive developments in various fields, including philanthropy, which has existed since ancient times in different religions and societies. Zakat and Sadaqah are at the top of the pyramid of charitable work in Kuwait. In order to properly manage the religious obligation that is Zakat, which is a need for the individual in particular and for society as a whole, and for there to be an official body that takes this responsibility, the Amiri (Princely) Decree issued on January 16, 1982 announced the establishment of an independent budget body named Zakat House, whose main objective is to achieve cohesion in society and help families in need everywhere and in all possible ways.

During the forty years of since it was established, Zakat House has participated in many international charitable initiatives with various institutions that have had the greatest impact in advancing its charitable journey and achieving its pioneering ambitions, including through partnering with UNHCR, one of the most prominent international humanitarian organizations. The people of Kuwait and of the Gulf have long been inclined towards charitable work due to their benevolent nature and that of their younger generations, a trait for which they are renowned, whether in days of hardship or of prosperity.

On this occasion, I am pleased to join UNHCR in launching its Islamic Philanthropy Mid-Year Report 2022, to showcase the impact of funds received through UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund on the lives of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in over 20 countries.

Refugees and IDPs around the world are almost entirely dependent on international assistance to survive and receive necessary protection, as many lack basic needs, including food. We are proud to be able to contribute to UNHCR’s efforts in several countries and areas, including providing protection and shelter to Malian refugees in Mauritania, supporting education projects and providing healthcare to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, building schools for displaced people in Yemen and supporting projects to meet the needs of unaccompanied children across the Middle East. Zakat House of Kuwait’s partnership with UNHCR spans more than twenty years and our contributions to UNHCR have helped thousands of refugee and internally displaced families around the world, in the hope that God would relieve their anguish.

Since its inception, the Zakat House of Kuwait has been spreading awareness about humanitarian issues through its participation in many seminars and conferences and has also issued and published fatwas and recommendations on the obligation of Zakat and on Sadaqah. This collaboration with UNHCR to launch UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy Mid-Year Report 2022 is only one of the many fruits of this tireless work. I would like to thank UNHCR for its initiative and for including Zakat House of Kuwait as one of its prominent partners in this current edition of the report.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Majed Al-Azmi

Acting Director-General of Zakat House of Kuwait

BAZNAS (BAZIS) DKI Jakarta Province is an official Zakat management body in Indonesia which was established by the Jakarta Provincial Government in 1968. BAZIS has the authority to organize the collection of Zakat, Infaq, and Sadaqah from the public in Jakarta province, including civil servants, as well as the distribution and utilization of Zakat, prioritizing the Jakarta area. In 2023, BAZIS will continue to support refugees by working with UNHCR. Among others, BAZIS has made an in-kind donation of food vouchers which will be distributed to vulnerable refugees in Jakarta so that they can fulfill their basic needs. This donation is the first collaboration between BAZIS and UNHCR and the partnership will continue in the future to continue helping refugee families in Jakarta province.

CIMB Bank is Malaysia’s second largest commercial bank by assets with over 8 million customers nationwide and 234 branches across Malaysia. CIMB Bank also has presence all over Asia, in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Laos, Yangon and Mumbai, as well as in London. In 2022, CIMB has decided to partner with UNHCR to support in alleviating the plight of refugees residing in Malaysia and made a Sadaqah donation to UNHCR’s interventions in the country. Considering the growing needs of refugees in Malaysia and other parts of the world, CIMB will continue to support wherever possible in the coming years.

Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP), the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council, was established to safeguard and manage Islamic affairs in the Malaysian Federal Territories including Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya. It is the largest Zakat agency in the country. One of the main purposes of its establishment is to aid the poor through zakat and Sadaqah collections. Currently, Kuala Lumpur alone holds more than 18% of the refugee population in the country. Understanding the hardships and living conditions of refugees residing in the capital city of Malaysia, MAIWP has decided to extend support to refugees through UNHCR’s Zakat distribution projects, focusing on interventions in the areas of cash assistance, education, and support to victims of gender-based violence. Since 2021, the partnership with UNHCR is known to be the very first international partnership ever established by MAIWP and will continue to alleviate the sufferings of refugees currently residing in the federal territories of Malaysia.

The Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) – or Blessings to All Committee – was set up by MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) in 2005 and established as a foundation in 2009. RLAF was created the Singaporean Muslim Community to share compassion and kindness to the poor, the needy and victims of disaster. RLAF has received tremendous help from the Muslim community in Singapore which has enabled the foundation to support various humanitarian causes.

RLAF has been a strategic long-term partner for UNHCR in Singapore for many years and has strongly supported the displacement cause. RLAF has provided support to UNHCR operations in Syria, Yemen, and Bangladesh among others with its fundraising efforts. RLAF has also participated in field visits to our operations in Bangladesh, Lebanon, and Jordan to better understand the work that they had supported, engage with refugee families and as well as observe the impact of their funding on affected communities. In coming years RLAF plans on collaborating with UNHCR on a more global front, with a focus on extending its support to UNHCR and the displacement cause in regions beyond Asia and the Middle East, such as Africa.

“Temperatures here are scary [during winter]”, says Hassan, a Syrian refugee father in Lebanon. After being forced to flee his hometown during the Syrian crisis, he is one of the 339,473 Syrian refugees currently residing in Bekaa Valley. The area experienced its worst snowstorm in decades earlier this year and is known for its acutely brutal winters.

In preparation for this, Hassan has spent his days working in the fields to try and provide for his family. “This year, the situation here in Lebanon has gotten worse. Whether for the Lebanese or the Syrians, it’s the same. Our life has become so hard”. The economic woes he is referring to – food insecurity, fuel shortages, humanitarian aid reduction, and a currency collapse – have sent the price of food, fuel and other basic needs, soaring.

Thousands of refugee families like Hassan’s have come to depend on the UNHCR winter cash assistance, which is always immediately put to good use: “It’s true that I have a job, but it’s not enough to secure my children’s future, shelter, rent and daily expenses. I depend on my work, as well as the UNHCR cash assistance for us to be able to survive”. When asked to elaborate, Hassan said it enables him to afford basics like food and medical care in the event that one of his children falls sick.

UNHCR has initiated a series of programmes for its winter assistance plan to help 3.4 million refugees and IDPs in the region. They mostly comprise of seasonal cash assistance that would help families acquire heaters, fuel and winter clothes. Other programmes include shelter weatherproofing and distribution of winter core relief items.

Every year, Zakat and Sadaqah donations play a crucial role in providing this winter assistance to the most vulnerable refugee families, like Hassan’s, who go to sleep every night praying “that the next day is better than the one before”.

Fatima and her family of 9 were forced to flee their home in Afghanistan in 2014,  seeking refuge in Pakistan. Like thousands of other refugee mothers, sisters and daughters, she is the sole breadwinner and caretaker for her family.

As a result of the conflict that has been ongoing in Afghanistan for more than four decades, more than 2 million people have become refugees in neighboring countries. In Pakistan alone, there are more than 1.2 million refugees, including Fatima and her family.

Life in displacement has been very challenging for Fatima and her family, having first arrived in a foreign country where they couldn’t understand the language. More importantly, Fatima has had to face many economic hardships. She says: “It’s very hard, as a woman, to take care of a family of 9. The most difficult thing was finding work. I don’t feel good, but I am grateful for everything.”

Fatima and her sister had previously learnt rug making, but her sister now suffers from a disability that renders her unable to work. Fatima was able to find a job that made it possible for her, to some extent, to provide for her children, her disabled sister and their elderly mother.

Describing her rug making job, she says: “All the material is given to us by the company, and we get paid 1 rupee for every 10-12 knots (100 Rupee = 0.45$). It’s a very tough job and we usually weave 20 to 25 rows everyday. An 8-meter rug will take around 1.5 months or 35 days of working without a break.”

Not only was this job not lucrative enough for Fatima to be able to entirely secure the needs of her large family, she suffered during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, having lost her source of income and falling short in paying for rent and other expenses. That was when when she started receiving cash assistance from UNHCR.

“When I got the call from UNHCR that I will be receiving cash assistance, I thought I was dreaming. This took away so many of my worries and troubles. I was able to pay 2 months of rent, as well as my grocery debt”, she says.

Fatima continues: “Some might say that 12,000 paise (120 rupees) is not much, but for someone who is truly in need, even 1 rupee makes a big difference. I am thankful to UNHCR. This programme helps a lot of people who are in need. For those who are foreign here and have no one here, this programme saved many of our lives and made us hopeful that someone has our back, that there is someone who will help us and hears our voice.”

Fatima’s family is among thousands of Afghan refugee and internally displaced families that receive cash assistance from UNHCR. Zakat and Sadaqah donated to the Refugee Zakat Fund allow UNHCR to provide eligible beneficiaries with much needed assistance.

When we met Shatha, her comments were anything but hyperbolic after a harrowing winter experience. Her words seemed rooted in a legitimate, deep-seated fear of reliving that experience where everything they needed – mattresses, carpets and bed covers – were completely destroyed due to the flooding.

“I am responsible for providing everything for my family, including food, rent and medicine,” said Shatha, the sole provider for her family. During our visit, she told us how worried she was about her six family members, some of whom are sick, elderly and school-going children, all lacking the proper warmth to sleep through cold winter nights.

Shatha’s plight runs parallel to that of thousands of refugee and internally displaced families across the region. For many, their 12th consecutive winter in displacement was extremely harsh as they face other hardships with regards to food insecurity, rising living costs, and unemployment caused in part due the COVID-19 pandemic, all loomed large.

To address this situation, UNHCR has initiated a series of programmes as part of its winter assistance plan. The plan mostly consists of distributing seasonal cash assistance that would allow families to acquire essential winter items such as heaters, fuel and winter clothes. Other programmes include shelter weatherproofing and distribution of winter core relief items.

For Om Saker, the last seven years have felt like a lifetime. After an ISIS invasion in 2015 brought war and persecution upon her hometown, she was forced to flee Hatra, Iraq and live in displacement camps for the next three years. She managed to return in 2018, but the life she once knew, was gone. Her husband went missing, making Om Saker the sole provider for her three children – Hiba, Nada and Saker. She tragically lost her 6-month-old daughter Sada during displacement, compounding the emotional and financial distress she was already under and to add to it all, her previous home was destroyed. She now lives in a small tent next to her father-in-law’s humble home in Hatra and when asked about how she managed to survive, she said, “We dependon the support of kind people. We have forgotten what comfort is. Since their father went missing, we have had no source of income”.

Unfortunately, despite being back in Hatra, the family continues to face harsh conditions – especially during winter. Om Saker explains: “We only eat bread. Sometimes I receive assistance and can then cook lunch and dinner for my children. Otherwise, we have nothing”. When asked about how they manage during the winter, she replies: “Winter affects us terribly. I sometimes go to my sister’s home. If I stay here, there are many times when the rainwater leaks inside. Every year, I hope for some ease, but we are still in the same situation. I have no salary and no money…I have nothing”.

This was the case until Om Saker started to receive the UNHCR winter cash assistance, which is provided to the most vulnerable internally displaced and returnee families in Iraq. She joyfully recalls the moment she received the SMS from UNHCR about the cash assistance: “I felt so happy that I couldn’t sleep. I received 140,000 Iraqi Dinar ($100). I couldn’t believe it… It covered my needs for 3-4 months. I felt comfortable and didn’t need to ask for anything from anyone”. With this vital assistance, Om Saker was able to pay off many debts and could afford to cookdecent meals for her children along with many other things as well. “If we didn’t receive the assistance, we could have died from hunger”, she says.

As she tries to make ends meet, Om Saker is thankful, in spite of the harsh conditions she has facedand finds solace in being present with her children. “Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to bear the hardships. They provide me comfort until everything gets resolved… I pray that God provides us with some ease and that their father comes back. That’s all I pray for”.

Ramadan campaign

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of almost 20,000 donors from individuals to corporations and foundations around the world, this Ramadan we were able to raise funds to support more than 100,000 refugee and internally displaced families in Mauritania, Nigeria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh. The “Every Gift Counts” Ramadan campaign reminded people of the impact of a single donation, no matter how small, in the life of displaced families.

As part of the larger advocacy and fundraising efforts in Ramadan, the campaign saw the global launch of the Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report through a series of events and conferences across the globe, the release of the song “Ikhtiary” in collaboration with Kuwaiti artist Humood Alkhudher, a TikTok challenge with a song by Anasala family dedicated to refugees, and many other local and regional partnerships, collaborations and activations.

Dhul Hijjah campaign

Marking the 10 blessed days of Dhul Hijjah and Eid Al Adha, when acts of generosity and charity are most encouraged, a campaign was launched to raise funds for refugees, internally displaced families and host communities, who are facing increasing poverty and food insecurity, in light of deteriorating economic conditions and the disruption of global food supply chains. A total of $383,078 was raised from 2,087 donors providing displaced families in need in MENA, with much needed cash relief, helping them afford some of their most basic and urgent needs.

Winter campaign

With the onset of the cold season, UNHCR launched its winter campaign, ringing the alarm on the urgent needs of displaced families facing the harsh season with shrinking resources. During the winter months each year, people forced to flee are faced with increased hardships and costs. As temperatures drop amid extreme weather, displaced families struggle to meet basic needs like heating their shelters, buying warm clothes, and cooking hot meals.

On 22 September, on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York, UNHCR launched the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees (GIFR), in collaboration with the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), the poverty alleviation arm of the Islamic Development Bank.

A first-of-its-kind Shariah-compliant financing tool with a Waqf account and a non-Waqf account, the GIFR aims to invest donor contributions and utilize the proceeds to provide developmental and humanitarian assistance to those impacted by displacement crises.

The GIFR was launched with an initial capital investment of $50 million by ISFD into the Waqf account, and $50 million by UNHCR to the non-Waqf account, bringing initial seed funding to $100 million. Over the next decade, it is anticipated that the GIFR will assist in creating considerable new resources for UNHCR programmes, with these resources expanding as new contributors invest in the endowment.

IP Annual Report 2022 Launch

On March 30, 2022, few days ahead of Ramadan, PSP MENA launched UNHCR’s Islamic Philanthropy Annual Report from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), a subsidiary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The event consisted of three panel discussions on the role of partnerships to advance Zakat and other Islamic social finance tools in responding to global humanitarian crises, and featured high-level speakers and attendees from leading global and regional Islamic institutions and charitable organisations, including Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy, Muslim World League’s Islamic Fiqh Council, World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) and Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). The event was widely covered in the media across the GCC, including from KSA, Kuwait, and the UAE.

A day before, a closed session had been held with a number of Islamic organizations, at the IIFA offices in Jeddah, to discuss how UNHCR can improve the Refugee Zakat Fund’s approach to Zakat compliance.

IP Mid-Year Report 2022 Launch

On 12 October, in collaboration with the Zakat House of Kuwait, UNHCR launched its Islamic Philanthropy Mid-Year Report 2022, which highlighted the humanitarian impact of Zakat and Sadaqah donations received through UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund during the first half of 2022. The report was released during an event held at the United Nations House of Kuwait, with over 70 participants, including HNWIs, corporations, foundations and charity partners. Senior speakers from Dubai Charity (UAE), the Turkish Red Crescent (Turkey), Bank Syariah Indonesia and Rumah Zakat (Indonesia), also took part in the event.

In September 2022, Tabah Foundation conducted online Zakat compliance reviews of three Asian countries that received Zakat funding in 2022, namely Bangladesh, India and Indonesia. UNHCR staff from the field gave an overview of the displacement situation in their respective operations, presented Zakat distribution modalities and showed the impact of Zakat donations. This compliance review is an annual practice that has been taking place annually since 2018, with seven Zakat receiving countries reviewed so far. You can read the review here.

Tabah Foundation is a non-profit Islamic research organization that offers advice and recommendations to opinion makers in order that they assume a wise approach that is beneficial to society. It provides a platform for scholars and academics to undertake the development of an Islamic discourse that engages the critical methodologies of the Shariah disciplines with issues of concern to the global community.