Palestinians uncertain as FIFA, UEFA step in to save soccer pitch from Israeli demolition    House panel votes to hold Clintons in contempt in Epstein probe    Trump backs off tariffs threat, says Greenland deal framework reached    Saudi Arabia signs agreement with World Economic Forum to accelerate industrial transformation    Over 78 million faithful visit Two Holy Mosques in a month    Saudi FM meets British, French counterparts in Davos    Northern Saudi cities record coldest temperatures of winter as mercury drops to –3°C    Arab coalition condemns deadly attack on Giants Brigades commander in Yemen    Sha'ban crescent sighted Tuesday    Saudi POS transactions reach 236 million, SR4bn in one week    Al-Khateeb highlights Saudi-UN partnership to shape quality of life in future cities    122 million tourists spend SR300 billion in Saudi Arabia in 2025    Italian fashion legend Valentino dies at 93    Saudi orchestra brings 'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' to AlUla with 107 musicians    Katy Perry makes Saudi debut at Joy Awards, praises Saudi design and hospitality    Hail wins Guinness World Record with largest off-road production cars convoy    SFDA approves registration of 'Anktiva' for treatment of bladder and lung cancer    Saudi Darts Masters 2026 to offer record $200,000 prize for nine-dart finish    Al Taawoun condemn "repeated refereeing injustice" after late penalty defeat    British boxer Anthony Joshua discharged from hospital after Nigeria car crash    The key to happiness    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Number of Saudi orphans on the rise
ARWA ALI & NAWAF AFIT
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 04 - 2011

Classification reveals extent of family dysfunction
RIYADH: Twenty percent of Saudi children are classified as orphans, even though many are not aware of the fact and may still have living parents.
The figure was revealed to Okaz/Saudi Gazette by Amal Al-Doukhi, a social statistician at the Human Rights Commission (HRC), ahead of the opening Tuesday of the first Saudi Conference on Orphan Care in Riyadh.
Al-Doukhi said that the number of orphans in the country is rising.
“The classification of ‘social orphan' includes those who do not live with their parents even though one or both of them may still be alive,” Al-Doukhi said. “That may occur because of a split in the family over differences, or because the father remarries after the death of his previous wife or vice versa. It may also be due to a failure to provide proper care for the child, with the child unable to live in that family environment due to maltreatment.”
She said that there are “a lot of children who don't know their families because of family disputes or problems that disturb the child psychologically”. Those children effectively live as orphans, but without a proper home or family life, and may not regard themselves as orphans in the strict sense of the word.
“They are classified as ‘social orphans', a classification for which one of the most important criteria is family breakup and the consequences of that split,” she said. “Other criteria are the loss of one of the parents, homelessness, and some financial or health circumstances that prevent the parents from properly carrying out their duties to their families.” Al-Doukhi cited a recent case in which a woman's ex-husband refused to take in their son after their divorce. The divorcee's father also refused to give them a home.
“We did what we could to help, and the child was taken in by the Social Affairs Center which contacted both parents to try and resolve the issue,” she said. “The child is now in the care of the Dar Al-Iywa shelter home, which provides accommodation and education, a much better situation than that of ‘social orphans'.”
She added that children at Dar Al-Iywa “are rarely exposed to the problems that social orphans are left vulnerable to”.
“The Human Rights Commission works hard to protect the rights of orphan children. The most important thing is for them to have official identity papers stating they are orphans of unknown family origin,” she said. “We work on promoting awareness and ensuring that laws and regulations are followed at orphanages and care homes, and in providing support for Social Affairs.”
She described the HRC as “a monitoring authority for orphans and their living conditions”.
“Is the orphan living in a sound environment? Are all the essential facilities provided for education, recreation and a family environment? These are the questions we ask,” she said. “We also provide protection from poverty, homelessness, harassment and violence.”
Al-Doukhi said that when cases are found of orphans living in unsuitable environments or subject to social or psychological abuse, the HRC moves to “address the issue as quickly as possible”.
“We have had a lot of cases like that. We don't go looking for them so much as we work to protect orphans from them and try and provide them with comprehensive services in terms of care, education, health and recreation,” she said. “When we are able, we try to prevent cases occurring, both at orphanages and at the homes of foster families.”
The Saudi Conference on Orphan Care in Riyadh is being held by the Charity for Orphan Care under the patronage of Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh.


Clic here to read the story from its source.