RIYADH, 11 September 2006 — The Ministry of Social Affairs has come out with a new regulatory framework to monitor the activities of charitable societies.
This was announced by Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Awad Al-Raddadi who said the aim of the legislation was to ensure that charitable organizations and cooperative societies operate within the ambit of the law.
The deputy minister unveiled the ministry’s new measures on the occasion of a weeklong visit to the Kingdom of an Arab delegation organized by the Arab League. Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Akkas received the delegation in his office and briefed them on the ministry’s social welfare program.
It was also announced that a pan-Arab initiative was in the works to unify legislation relating to social welfare in the Arab world. The move was part of a coordinated effort to create an environment conducive to greater Arab interaction in the field of social work.
Spelling out the agenda for their visit, Al-Raddadi said the delegation would tour the various facilities run by the ministry. Currently, it supervises 400 charitable organizations and 150 cooperative societies in the Kingdom.
Referring to the new regulatory framework for charitable societies, the deputy minister said the idea was to lay down the rules and regulations for these societies in order “to put an end to some unfamiliar social phenomenon, in addition to teaching people the importance of social work and encouraging them to participate in such activities.”
The deputy minister said that during their visit, the Arab delegation would gain an insight into the Kingdom’s social welfare program. The ministry has recently drawn up a series of measures that include the payment of pension through ATM cards, financial support to widows and those in need, handicraft centers for artisans as well as an additional allowance of SR3,100 to every member of the family up to eight members instead of four children before.
In this context, Al-Raddadi pointed out that the number of establishments and rehabilitation centers in the Kingdom supervised by the ministry have reached 150. They cater to the needs of senior citizens, orphans, abandoned children and the handicapped.
He said the visit would enable the Arab delegation to exchange views and interact with other organizations in the Arab world.
In another development, Al-Akkas received the Chadian Minister for Social Affairs and Families Ahmad Muhammad Zain and his accompanying delegation. In an arrival statement, the Chadian minister paid tributes to the Saudi government for rendering humanitarian services to the poor and the needy.
Besides Al-Raddadi, Abdul Aziz Al-Hadlok, director general for international cooperation, also attended the meeting.
