Avoid filming, photographing needy during aid distribution: Sharaee — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Justice Minister Abdul Hakim Sharaee has urged charitable organizations to act as intermediaries between donors and needy people, refrain from exploiting poverty and avoid photographing or filming beneficiaries during aid distribution. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said in a statement that Sharaee made the remarks during a coordination meeting with officials of charitable organizations operating in Kabul and the provinces. Sharaee said charitable organizations should receive donations from benefactors and deliver them to needy people, rather than exploiting people’s poverty for commercial purposes. He also urged charities to refrain from taking photographs or videos of needy people while distributing aid, saying such practices could humiliate beneficiaries and undermine their dignity. The ministry said Sharaee also stressed the need to establish a nationwide union of charitable organizations and called for practical steps toward its establishment. During the meeting, representatives of charitable organizations raised concerns about taxes, customs procedures and some complicated administrative processes. The MoJ assured them that efforts would be made to address their concerns.