RIYADH, 3 November 2003 — Human rights education was the theme of a recent conference here. It has become a concern for both humanitarian and social aid organizations and most agree that young people who actively volunteer for community service often acquire a greater sense of social responsibility and are more responsive to social injustice. Consequently promoting involvement in community service through a volunteer program may be the first step toward increasing awareness of human rights.
Dr. Saleh ibn Hamad Al-Tuwaijri, vice president of the Saudi Red Crescent Society, said that there was a need to promote a volunteer spirit among Saudi youth. He added that a large part of that responsibility falls on organizations like the Red Crescent who must make volunteer opportunities available to the public.
“I think we need to open the door to volunteerism,” said Dr. Al-Tuwaijri. “People are ready and there is much goodness in them.” However, he added there was much room for improvement and emphasized the need for an effective volunteer program. A well-organized volunteer program could oversee the promotion of community service projects in schools and give special recognition, including academic credit, to those who volunteer for worthy causes.
According to Dr. Al-Tuwaijri, community service could serve as a valuable way to spend time and also help keep young people off the streets and out of trouble. In addition, making a difference in their communities can give young people a sense of empowerment and involvement that is necessary for social development.
Dr. Al-Tuwaijri said that the Red Crescent and the Ministry of Education had discussed the idea of setting up Red Crescent chapters in local schools. He added that a few chapters had been established but so far not many volunteers had come forward.
Abdul Mohsen ibn Muhammad Al-Tawil, director of the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Welfare Society, voiced concern at the apparent disinterest in volunteerism. Part of the problem, he said, could be attributed to a lack of education. The Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Welfare Society was initially established by a small group of volunteers to provide social services to people in the local community. Services provided include the distribution of food and clothing, care of orphans and rehabilitation of the disabled.
The society also provides free accredited computer learning courses for underprivileged children, both Saudi and non-Saudi. In spite of undertaking a large number of social services, the society has received little public support. Because of a lack of volunteers, the society has little choice but to hire people. As a result, money that should be spent on community projects is used instead to pay workers’ salaries.
Abdul Mohsen said that the society is in need of volunteers during Ramadan. He added that of the 500 or so welfare offices in the city, only a few are run by individuals with a background in social work or who hold academic degrees in related fields. Social service centers, he said, would benefit from the expertise of such individuals.
Dr. Saleh Al-Sheikh, executive director of the King Fahd National Center for Children’s Cancer and Research, said that the center offered a number of volunteer opportunities.
“We accept volunteers for minor positions such as Patient Care Assistance (PCA), transferring patients from one place to another and translation services,” he said. “I think high schools should include community service projects as a requirement for graduation.” This would enable students to “get in touch with the reality of life” before they pursued higher studies at university, he added.
For those who have been fortunate in never knowing poverty or strife, the “reality” can sometimes become unclear.
According to latest estimates, almost one billion people in the world live in poverty, more than 500 million of them children. In Africa alone, 7,000 people die each day from AIDS while three million children in the world die each year from preventable diseases such as diarrhea. Humanitarian aid organizations are taking steps to educate children and young people about some of the root causes of poverty such as discrimination and ethnic conflict.
“We must teach them about international humanitarian laws and the law of armed conflict,” said Dr. Al-Tuwaijri. Through active participation in humanitarian causes, young people can educate themselves, as well as their peers and family members, about problems in their communities and abroad and in so doing, they will be taking the first step toward lasting and meaningful solutions.
