'Tis the season for giving, but residents of the Emirates have already been donating more to charities this year than last.
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The UAE is the 46th most charitable country in the world and jumped four spots from number 50 last year, according to the second annual World Giving Index.
Donation drives for certain events meant to benefit local charities such as the Friends of Cancer Patients and Dubai Cares beat sums collected last year or surpassed the US$1 million (Dh3.6m) mark this year.
Americans moved up four spots from last year to become the most charitable this year, followed by the Irish.
Australians were the third most generous, although they fell from the top-ranked spot along with New Zealanders last year.
Globally, though, not all the news surrounding giving was good.
The report showed that fewer individuals around the world were able to afford monetary donations to charities this year. "The fact that donations became less frequent in many countries is one of the real tragedies of the financial crisis," said John Low, the chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, which produces the index and relies on polling data from Gallup.
"The outcome of falling donations is clear. It means less aid during disasters, less access to water, good hygiene and decent housing, and a reduced capacity to care for the sick, the old and the young."
But in the Emirates, many individuals could still afford to give - and they did.
More than $1m was raised at a fundraiser held in Dubai in March to help victims of Pakistan's floods.
This month, Dubai Cares and Oxfam, the global development and aid agency, revealed a recent charity auction generated more than $1m for individuals in need. "In fairness, the global financial crisis has had an impact on philanthropy and charitable giving in the UAE," said Tariq Al Gurg, the chief executive for Dubai Cares.
"Although donors amounts are not at the same level as before the financial crisis, individuals, corporations and government entities in the UAE continue to extend their support to organisations such as Dubai Cares."
Some donators have been making a conscious effort to volunteer more of their time this year - in spite of the public pressures they may have felt to donate dirhams instead.
During an annual charity ball about a year ago, Kevin Roberts of Dubai was crowned "oil baron" for 2010-11 by his peers in the energy industry. He had already donated Dh100,000 in 2009 then a vehicle last year, but now that his business has been sold off he has been giving more time than money while supporting children who have cancer.
Still, Mr Roberts noted: "I got more out of it than anybody else."
