JEDDAH, 5 November 2004 — The Ministry of Social Affairs has formed regulations to govern the safety and protection of abused women, children and the elderly and sent them to the Council of Ministers for approval, according to Dr. Nora Al-Ashiekh, director of the women’s department at the Ministry of Social Affairs.
“The mechanisms, regulations and procedures for providing safety to abused women, children and the elderly have been formed and are awaiting approval from the Council of Ministers,” Al-Asheikh told Arab News. She explains that the ministry has always been involved in issues of abuse — physical, mental or sexual — since its establishment but now it has set up a general administration to handle social safety cases.
“The new administration would allow easier and direct access for individuals and institutions to report cases and seek assistance as well as better coordination with all other administrations concerned such as police, hospitals, courts and the municipality,” she said. The administration’s strategy would focus on prevention, education and raising awareness in addition to having a shelter for the abused. The proposal is expected to pass soon and be implemented immediately. It includes a clear definition of abuse and when officials can intervene to save an abused person and how and what measures would be taken to prevent abuse and provide safety.
One of the issues that is usually of concern for women in particular is when the male guardian holds the family ID card with him and prevents the women from getting access to any kind of medical, police or municipal assistance without this ID card. “This is a form of abuse and whether the male guardian intends to harm the woman or not, he has no right to hold that card and prevent her from seeking help,” said Al-Asheikh.
This is an example of what the ministry intends to protect the rights of every individual by allowing them access and lesser bureaucratic restrictions. “We would be coordinating our efforts with the administrative and executive officials as well as the police and courts for a better service,” she said. “Every case of abuse that has been brought to our attention, we have dealt with it and taken appropriate action for the concerned authorities to take control of the matter.”
Arab News asked about the case of the three-year-old boy whose abusive father left him quadriplegic and mentally retarded. Arab News had followed up on the boy’s case since April. The boy has been at the King Abdul Aziz University Hospital since May while his father remained at large for months. The hospital filed a report with the Social Affairs Administration and with police requesting an investigation, but nothing was done. “The father is now in jail waiting court sentence and the boy’s future depends on the judge’s ruling whether he will be taken care of by a family member or we will put him in one of our child safety shelters.”
“There is lack of coordination between the different administrations involved in child abuse cases, lack of information and procedures to follow within the administrations and lack of an action plan in dealing with the cases,” said Fadia Enani, director of Social Services Department at the Jeddah Maternity and Children’s Hospital. Very rarely is immediate action taken to protect a child. A recent conference on child abuse recommended that the Ministry of Interior formulate a rapid reaction plan to deal with this growing issue. The strategy should also focus on creating a positive environment in school and at home.
In response to this increasing attention on the issue of abuse, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced the establishment of an administration for social protection that will work at protecting children under the age of 18 and women who are abused physically, psychologically and sexually. The administration will study the social problems contributing to abuse, coordinate the efforts of the various sectors and interfere in protecting the abused individuals.
In a recent study, it was found that 74.6% of the children brought to hospitals for treatment had suffered physical abuse. These children are not only abused by their parents but also the house workers, relatives and neighbors. In another study, it was found that 45% of Saudi children are subjected to some form of abuse on a daily basis. Although some attention has been directed at addressing this issue at the social level, the critical legal and enforcement measures of pursuing and punishing the abusers remain vague and unimplemented. “Even if someone does go to the appropriate authorities to report a case and an investigation was carried out, there is no mechanism or laws that would protect the child,” according to lawyer Dr. Basim Alim.
