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.
