Latifa bint Sulaiman Abu Nayan, assistant undersecretary for family affairs at the Ministry of Social Affairs, has recently announced that orphan female students are not exempt from the need to have a male guardian (mahram) accompany them on scholarships abroad.

She noted that a number of orphan female students are currently studying abroad, accompanied by their adoptive families or husbands.

The assistant undersecretary’s statements came on the sideline of the first forum for university girl students lodging in the ministry’s social care institutions.

She explained that Saudi social norms and traditions apply to orphan girls, as they are applied on the rest of society. She pointed out that in some exceptional cases, women supervisors are sent as escorting guardians with the orphaned female students.

“Orphan female students are educated either on scholarships at public universities or in private universities at the ministry’s expense,” said Abu Nayan, adding, “We also give them priority in terms of employment, with the assistance of the Civil Service Ministry.”

She said the proportion of orphan girls who acquired university degrees during the past ten years has increased, while thousands have graduated and entered the job market and risen to prominent positions.

She noted there are defined mechanisms to unify social services at the GCC countries through social programs.

“The Kingdom has taken great strides in the social programs it offers citizens, a number of countries are seeking to replicate the Saudi model for orphans and individuals with special needs,” she said.

Abu Nayan said the ministry is considering a project to turn orphans’ shelters to villas and residential apartments across the Kingdom.

She also noted that procedures have been facilitated for orphan girls to obtain personal identification cards and passports, with the help of their adoptive families.

She assured that the monthly financial subsides offered to orphans will continue, in addition to a sum of SR3,000 provided by the social insurance. The ministry, she added, is developing new programs to further assist orphans.

Regarding the issue of violence orphans are subjected to in shelters and foster families, Abu Nayan assured that such cases would be dealt with decisively.