JEDDAH: Over 60 students from higher and general education institutions have approached the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) asking for legislation to curtail violence against students and to protect their rights. Dr. Hussein Al-Shareef, the NSHR branch supervisor, said that his organization deals with all issues and suggestions related to the spread of human rights. He said King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, supports higher education institutions in this country, as can be seen by his scholarship program and building of universities and professional institutes in various parts of the Kingdom. There is a need to define the rights of students at these institutions, he said. He said some universities have already taken the initiative to draft charters defining the rights of students. He pointed out that these initiatives need to be codified into legislation, taking into consideration the opinions of students. “We are now working on holding workshops to prepare a draft.” He hoped the workshops will help bring all segments of society together to produce this legislation. He said the NSHR has had previous experience in drafting legislation defining the rights and obligations of people, including AIDS patients and retirees. The organization has also ensured housing rights, the rights of Saudi women married to non-Saudis and the teaching of human rights at all levels of education. Hanan Hamad, the students' representative who approached the NSHR, said the objective is to produce a draft and formulate it into a bylaw defining the rights of students at universities, colleges and schools, entitled “Students' Rights”. She said the NSHR is a recognized organization which has legal and education experts who are capable of producing such a draft.
