The father left Jeddah to settle in the UAE without providing for his family or completing the paperwork so two of his children could be provided with identity papers.

Registering the two youngsters, aged eight and nine, is crucial in establishing the identity of Saudi citizens so they can receive state aid. Saudi children are not admitted to schools without their civil status records.

Access to all other government-provided services, including medical treatment, is severely restricted.

Responding to a request for help from the family, the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) met with authorities and worked with them to put the children on the list of pension beneficiaries, administered by the General Organization for Social Insurance.

The NSHR’s efforts have also enabled the children to get admission in local schools. “The NSHR will strive with the help of government departments to bring the father back to the Kingdom and make him complete the necessary paperwork and pay for their expenses,” an NSHR source told Arab News.