Saudi law of elderly is based on country’s customs and traditions
Legislation will give the elderly ‘priority in services and investing their skills in a variety of fields’
Updated 17 January 2022
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: It is important to ensure social protection for elderly people — be it quality of life, providing assistance, or investing their skills in various fields. Society, however, must know that these rights are part of Saudi Arabia’s social norms and traditions.
The Saudi Cabinet approved a new law to protect the rights of elderly citizens in the Kingdom earlier this month.
Saad Al-Hammad, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said: “The new law strengthens the position of the elderly in society and is based on our customs and traditions, by giving the elderly priority in services and waiting areas and investing their skills in a variety of fields.”
This legislation, says Al-Hammad, grants the elderly special privileges and preserves their social, financial, and legal rights. It also sets harsh penalties, such as fines and imprisonment, for those who abuse the elderly, be they elderly individuals themselves or the private and government institutions that provide services to them.
HIGHLIGHT
This legislation, according to official, grants the elderly special privileges and preserves their social, financial, and legal rights.
He noted that the elderly have the right to choose to live with their families, and that sheltering in care homes depends on the situation of the elderly and what serves the public interest.
According to a UN report, those aged 65 and over made up around 3.4 percent of Saudi Arabia’s population. (Supplied)
“National centers are part of the transformation work in the elderly services, with the goal of achieving well-being and social integration for them, improving their status, and assisting families in providing care services for those who need them,” Al-Hammad explained.
According to Article 8 of the law, if a provider is unable to support the elderly financially, and no one in the elderly’s family can support them either, the ministry shall support them financially, according to what is specified by the regulation.
The ministry is obligated to enable the elderly to live in an environment that preserves their rights and dignity, and spreads awareness to clarify their rights. The ministry is also responsible for providing reliable statistical data about the elderly, which will benefit researchers in conducting studies and research.
The law also requires the ministry to organize and implement appropriate programs for the elderly, improve their skills, experiences, and hobbies, enhance their integration into society, encourage able-bodied elderly people to work, support their employers and promote volunteering activities serving the elderly.
The ministry must rehabilitate public and commercial facilities, residential neighborhoods, the surrounding environment, and mosques to ensure they are suitable for the needs of the elderly. They must also allocate places for the elderly in public facilities and at public events and urge the private sector, business owners, and civil bodies to care for them.
Government agencies should prioritize the elderly seeking basic services, particularly health and social services.
The ministry must also grant the elderly a privilege card that allows them to benefit from the public services to meet the necessities of their daily lives.
According to a UN report, those aged 65 and over made up around 3.4 percent of Saudi Arabia’s population, a figure it predicted could reach 6 percent by 2030.
Eng. Badr Al-Eyada, chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Elderly Support Organization, stressed that it conducted a study on the situation of elderly care and launched a guide to services for the elderly. The guide presents services and facilities provided by the governmental, private, and civil sectors in 13 regions of the Kingdom.
Al-Eyada said his organization established and operated the first telephone consultation unit for the elderly in the Kingdom, which reflects its dedication to programs to facilitate telephone consultations for the medical, psychological, social, and legal needs of elderly people across the Kingdom.
He added that the approved law would provide the elderly with the care, attention, and protection they deserve, and helps ensure social security for the elderly, whilst significantly raising awareness of this group’s rights.
Saudi Arabia takes part in Doha International Book Fair 2025
Saudi delegation is led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission
Updated 09 May 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, represented by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, is participating in the 34th Doha International Book Fair 2025, being held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center May 8-17.
The Saudi delegation, headed by the commission, includes prominent literary and cultural figures including representatives from the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, the King Abdulaziz Public Library, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, the King Fahd National Library, Nasher Publishing and Distribution Co., and the Publishing Association.
The Saudi pavilion features a rich and diverse array of cultural and literary content that reflects the vibrant creative landscape of the Kingdom.
Dr. Abdullatif Al-Wasel, CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, emphasized that the Kingdom’s participation in the Doha International Book Fair stems from the strong cultural ties between the Kingdom and Qatar.
He explained that the commission seeks, through this participation, to enhance joint cooperation in the fields of literature, publishing, and translation, given the flourishing cultural movement and intellectual advancement witnessed in the Kingdom and Qatar.
He noted that the exhibition represents a supportive opportunity for the publishing market, allowing Saudi publishers to connect with their counterparts from around the world.
The book fair serves as an important platform to boost the Kingdom’s presence on the international stage, opening doors for knowledge exchange and fostering engagement with intellectuals and publishing houses from around the world, embodying cultural integration that enriches both parties and enhances intercultural dialogue.
Through its participation in the fair, Saudi Arabia aims to provide visitors from various countries with the opportunity to see the extent of the cultural progress and transformation taking place in the Kingdom under Saudi Vision 2030, particularly in the literature, publishing, and translation sectors.
The Doha International Book Fair launched in 1972, and organized by the Ministry of Information and Culture, was transformed into an international exhibition in 1982.
Saudi science and engineering team heads to US for ISEF 2025 competition
Updated 09 May 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: A Saudi science and engineering team left the Kingdom today, heading to Columbus, Ohio to compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2025, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event, the world’s largest scientific platform for research and innovative projects for pre-university students, will take place May 10–16, with the participation of more than 1,700 students representing 70 countries.
According to SPA, the Kingdom, represented by Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education, has participated annually in this fair since 2007, winning 160 awards in total — 110 grand prizes and 50 special prizes.
The Saudi team includes 40 students participating in distinguished projects in promising scientific fields, selected from among the top winners of the grand prizes in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, or Ibdaa 2025. These finalists were chosen from a competitive pool of 200 students whose projects qualified for the last round of the Olympiad, which is one of 20 programs that Mawhiba offers annually for gifted students.
In late 2024, the organizing body of ISEF announced an increase in the number of Saudi projects participating in the 2025 fair to 40, up from 35 in previous editions.
Engineer Anas Al-Hunaihan, director of research programs and innovation development at Mawhiba, explained that three key factors contributed to this expanded participation were: “The demonstrated excellence of Saudi projects at past international competitions, significant growth in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity registration numbers, and broader student engagement in both regional and central educational exhibitions throughout the Kingdom.”
According to SPA, more than 291,000 students registered for Ibdaa 2025, submitting 23,000 projects across 22 scientific categories. These projects underwent competition and selection through various stages to advance to the Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair, which was hosted by Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh last February.
Prior to their departure, the team members completed comprehensive training regimens spanning an entire year implemented by Mawhiba, aimed at developing their scientific and research skills and preparing them to represent the Kingdom in global forums.
Gates Foundation ‘appreciates’ Saudi Arabia’s leadership amid global aid funding cuts
Mark Suzman tells Arab News that regional office in Riyadh will help achieve health, development goals
Bill Gates announces he will distribute $200 billion by 2045 in effort to give away almost all his wealth
Updated 09 May 2025
Jonathan Lessware
LONDON: Saudi Arabia is playing a “growing global leadership role” as the US and European countries drastically cut foreign aid and development funding, the Gates Foundation CEO told Arab News on Thursday.
Speaking as his organization announced a new strategy to give away $200 billion over the next 20 years, Mark Suzman said a planned regional office in Riyadh would help the foundation achieve its long-term goals.
He said the foundation, which is chaired by the Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, would continue pursuing the eradication of polio, a campaign that Saudi Arabia has pledged hundreds of million of dollars toward.
The Gates Foundation “deeply appreciated” the leadership shown by the Kingdom “as some of the traditional donors are pulling back,” Suzman said.
The foundation’s new timeline was decided long before the Trump administration radically cut foreign aid spending in January, followed by the UK, France and other European countries.
In light of those cuts, the foundation is “very strongly making the case, whether it’s in Washington, D.C., or London, or Paris, or Berlin, that with the resources that are still focused on development, it is imperative that they get applied to the highest impact opportunities,” Suzman said.
Those opportunities include the Gavi Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria — two programs that are estimated to have saved at least 80 million lives in the last 25 years.
Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman said he hopes that polio will be eradicated within three to five years. (AP/File)
Suzman said both programs needed replenishing in the coming months and that he hoped even with the fiscal challenges those governments are facing they would still provide funding.
“At the same time, though, we are really appreciative of the way in which not just Saudi Arabia but other countries in the Gulf have been leaning in and showing a much bigger global leadership role,” he added.
Suzman said he hopes that within three to five years, polio, which is now only endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, will become the second disease after smallpox to be eradicated.
“For us, it’s full steam ahead, and we actually hope that will then free up resources, not just from us, but from growing development partners like the Kingdom or like others in the Gulf, such as the UAE and Qatar.”
He said those resources could then be reallocated to other areas of global health and development, including agricultural and financial inclusion.
Bill Gates said he didn't want people to say he "died rich," as he announced a new timeline to give away his wealth over the next 20 years. (AP/File)
During the announcement of the polio campaign funding in April last year, the foundation also said it would open a new Middle East office in Riyadh at the Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City.
Suzman said the decision to open a Saudi office was due to the polio partnership but also other areas of cooperation with the Kingdom.
The office, which is expected to open early next year, would be part of a growing global network that builds partnerships intended to focus on “long-term health and development goals,” he said.
The foundation also partners with Saudi Arabia on the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, which aims to reduce poverty in Islamic countries.
In November, Gates and the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation, known as Misk, announced the Challenge for Change program to support nonprofits and social enterprises in the Kingdom.
A Gates Foundation announcement on Thursday said Bill Gates would dramatically speed up the disbursement of almost all of his fortune.
The organization aims to distribute $200 billion by 2045 in what it described as the largest philanthropic commitment in modern history. The foundation would then come to an end.
“People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them,” Gates said as he marked the foundation’s 25th anniversary.
He also warned that decades of progress in reducing death rates from disease and poverty would be reversed due to the cuts in aid funding by governments in the US and Europe.
“It’s going to be millions more deaths because of the resources,” Gates told Reuters.
Teucrium Oliverianum plant helping to mitigate desertification in Saudi Arabia’s north
Known locally as Al-Aihlan or Ahneh, it has spread extensively throughout the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve
Updated 09 May 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The perennial herbaceous plant Teucrium Oliverianum has spread extensively throughout Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, indicating a balanced ecosystem, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Citing experts, the report noted that the reserve has had a remarkable expansion in healthy and stable vegetation cover, “the best condition since its establishment in 2018.”
This has helped to combat desertification and soil erosion, the SPA reported.
Known locally as Al-Aihlan or Ahneh, the plant has long, thin stems and delicate leaves, coated with fine bristles that help minimize water loss, adding to its adaptability to harsh environments.
Renowned for its striking blue-violet flowers, Teucrium oliverianum has become an iconic symbol of the flora of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve. (SPA)
Native to the Arabian Peninsula, the plant is highly valued for grazing. It also provides shelter and sustenance for various small desert animals and insects, making it an essential part of the natural food chain.
In an earlier report, SPA quoted wild plant expert Abdullah Al-Barrak as saying Teucrium Oliverianum was also a valuable food source for honeybees.
Renowned for its evergreen or semi-evergreen leaves and striking blue-violet flowers, the plant has become an iconic symbol of the flora of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve.
Teucrium oliverianum also provides shelter and sustenance for various small desert animals and insects, making it an essential part of the natural food chain. (SPA)
The 91,500 sq. km reserve, formerly known as Al-Taysiyah Natural Reserve, is the second-largest of its kind in the Kingdom, spread across regions of Hail, Qassim, Al-Jouf, Northern Borders and the Eastern Province.
The reserve’s vegetation cover has surged from 1.5 percent in 2018 to an impressive 6.7 percent, and now has over 179 plant species, including 113 seasonal and 66 perennial varieties, officials have said.
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is driving Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurship growth, with startup founders using the technology to address local challenges, boost efficiency, and advance Vision 2030’s economic goals. Benefiting from supportive government policies and emerging talent, these startups are positioning the Kingdom as a rising global tech hub.
One such firm is AIYAH, which is using AI to bridge the gap between startups, talent, investors and academia. The company’s mission aligns with Vision 2030’s goals, supporting Saudization and offering a gateway to authentic Saudi experience.
“Accelerating the achievement of the goals of Vision 2030 has to be number one,” AIYAH co-founder and CEO Sahiqa Bennett told Arab News.
“That’s basically why AIYAH was built, to accelerate the process. Those goals are linked with innovation, getting innovative startups in or solutions that they are looking for and talent.”
Founded in 2024 by Bennett and Naila Kiani, AIYAH serves as an AI-powered talent solution and a gateway to the Kingdom’s innovation ecosystem.
AIYAH founders Sahiqa Bennett and Naila Kiani. (Supplied)
Before launching the platform, Bennett spent more than two years researching the virtual world and ways to connect it with the physical arena for human interaction.
Bennett explains that her decision to co-found AIYAH stemmed from frequent questions she received about her fascination with Saudi Arabia and its booming tech scene.
“Why are you looking to be in Saudi Arabia? Why come to Saudi Arabia so much, and what’s happening in the Middle East that’s not happening here?” she said. “People almost didn’t believe some of the things I was telling them.”
Through her research, Bennett was struck by how many people did not fully understand Vision 2030, despite being familiar with its broader concepts. Many were unsure of how to tap into the opportunities emerging within the Kingdom.
She notes that her research process included “talking to people in the Kingdom and out of the Kingdom, asking if they know enough about Saudi and Vision 2030.”
Several other factors influenced Bennett’s decision to co-found AIYAH, with one of the most pressing being the challenge of finding and placing the right talent.
She encountered many stories of recruiters attempting to fill thousands of positions — sometimes as many as 10,000 — but struggling to identify suitable candidates.
At the same time, she frequently heard from job seekers trying to enter the Saudi market through traditional platforms such as LinkedIn, only to receive no responses or interview opportunities.
“I thought I need to build the gateway that literally opens the door and welcomes you in, gives you a chance to see what’s happening, and accelerates how you get involved and how you become visible, and have a chance at least,” she said.
This disconnect between recruiters and job seekers revealed a broader inefficiency in the hiring process. Bennett emphasizes how difficult it is for applicants to stand out when they are competing with hundreds — or even thousands — of others for the same opportunity.
Saudi Arabia had an overall unemployment rate of 3.7 percent in the third quarter of 2024, down 0.5 percentage points from the same period in 2023, according to the General Authority for Statistics.
This improvement came alongside a rise in overall labor force participation — including Saudis and non-Saudis — which reached 66.6 percent, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 0.2 percentage points and a 0.4-point gain from the previous quarter.
On the employer side, Bennett notes that recruiters were overwhelmed. Many simply could not manage the volume of applicants, making it difficult to identify the right candidates amid overflowing inboxes and unfiltered submissions.
“There are so many parts to the recruitment process that are just so disheartening,” she said.
“We’re trying to put dignity back into the process,” she added. “It’s actually disheartening applying for jobs and not hearing back and getting the feeling that you’re not good enough.
“I’m trying to flip that around and say let the opportunities come to you, whether you are a startup founder, whether you’re an investor, or whether you’re talent. Let the pitch happen, and then you pick from the pool.”
AIYAH leverages AI to streamline connections between investors, employers and job seekers. Rather than requiring users to apply for hundreds of positions — often alongside thousands of competitors — the platform offers an AI-powered interview feature.
This tool allows individuals to present themselves through video, giving employers and investors a more personal and direct introduction. This innovation, Bennett explains, was inspired by a gap in existing platforms.
“I’m going to combine the best pieces of certain platforms,” she said. “I feel like there’s nothing that brings everyone together as a community — but with intention, community with intention.”
Expanding on what sets AIYAH apart from traditional job platforms such as LinkedIn, Bennett points to its proactive approach.
“How we are different is we are guaranteeing that everyone can do an interview. Come to the platform, register, and do an interview,” she said. “You don’t even have to wait for a job, introduce yourself and be proactive so that you get seen.
“And I think this is the biggest difference.”
Bennet acknowledges LinkedIn’s strengths, particularly in building human connections, but says its functionality in the hiring space leaves much to be desired.
“I think there are some great things about LinkedIn, but when it comes to recruitment and hiring, I call it a black hole — I call it where things get lost,” she said.
Bennet argues that while LinkedIn has not evolved significantly in two decades, the world — and its hiring needs — have.
“And that is the difference,” she said. “I feel that their models have not changed — LinkedIn is a 20-year-old business and they don’t need to disrupt or change because they are making money.
“However, the world has changed … and people’s needs have changed.”
She added: “I think the traditional model has been broken for a very long time. I think the human part of things has to really remain.”
Bennett says LinkedIn still serves a purpose when it comes to networking and social connectivity. But, according to her, in the realm of recruitment both job seekers and hiring professionals are growing increasingly frustrated with its limitations.
That commitment to accessibility is rooted in more than two years of research into evolving market needs. Since its recent launch, AIYAH has focused on bridging gaps between startups, talent and opportunity through a phased rollout strategy.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Saudi Arabia's employment rate dropped slightly to 64 percent in Q4 2024, down from 64.1 percent in Q3 2024.
• From 2017 to 2024, the average employment rate in Saudi Arabia was 56.7 percent, peaking at 64.7 percent in Q4 2023.
• The unemployment rate among Saudis rose to 7.8 percent in Q3 2024, up 0.7 percentage points from the previous quarter.
(Sources:Trading Economics & GASTAT)
In its first phase, the platform allows startups to join and job seekers to pitch themselves and apply for roles. The next phase will expand to include investors and employers, alongside partnerships with global hubs and both local and international universities.
“We are doing it in phases, we are inviting companies that are aligned with Vision 2030, namely deep tech and startups from around the world,” Bennet said. “The conversations that we are having now involve more than 5,000 startups from around the world entering the Kingdom.”
“On the side, this is really big,” she added. “We are looking at Saudization, graduate programs, and high-level bespoke requirements as well for certain projects.”
The company’s mission is grounded in five core pillars: advancing the goals of Vision 2030, supporting Saudization, fostering a stronger startup ecosystem, facilitating licensing and investment opportunities, and offering a realistic lens to view Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation.
It also seeks to challenge global misconceptions about the Kingdom while empowering employers to adopt AI in meaningful ways.
Through its AI-powered hiring model, AIYAH aims to accelerate human capital development and expand both investment and recruitment potential within the country.
Bennett also stresses the importance of ensuring that no demographic is left behind as AI reshapes industries. During the interview, she made clear that inclusivity is a key priority for the company.
Looking ahead, AIYAH plans to deliver AI literacy and digital skills to older or less tech-savvy people, ensuring the platform remains accessible and supportive of a truly inclusive future of work.
