Duma adds new categories of SONGOs
The State Duma has approved a bill expanding the classification of socially oriented CSOs
The bill was submitted to the State Duma in December 2023
20.02.2024
On 20 February 2024, in a plenary meeting, the State Duma adopted a bill at second and third reading which expands what is classified as a socially oriented civil society organisation. The bill also expands the list of information that CSOs must provide to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.
The list of socially oriented CSOs now includes organisations working in the following areas:
- support for families, fathers, mothers, and children;
- detection and rehabilitation of minors and families in socially dangerous situations;
- developing alternative forms of care for children without parental care.
By the second reading, the bill had been amended regarding stray animals. The original bill referred to organisations involved in aiding stray and neglected animals. In the amendment, organisations that keep animals in shelters will be considered socially oriented CSOs.
“What kind of support measures are we talking about? The current legislation provides financial, property, information, and consulting services. For example, opportunities for free training and rental benefits. This will also help to attract more resources to support CSOs, for example, from businesses. Since businesses will be subject to tax benefits in the case of donation,” Olga Zanko, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the Development of Civil Society, noted on her Telegram channel.
