Saudi Arabia is proceeding firmly and rigorously to guarantee the statutory rights of the elderly, Saudi officials said during a workshop entitled, Criminal Protection of the Rights of the Elderly, which was held on Wednesday in Riyadh.

Organized under the auspices of the Kingdom’s Attorney General Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah Al-Mujib to mark the International Day for Awareness of Elder Abuse, the workshop brought together officials from the ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Criminal Investigation Department and other relevant agencies.

According to data provided by the Social Development ministry, 450 cases of violence against the elderly were registered in 2021, representing around five percent of the total recorded cases of domestic violence.

Dr. Maram Al-Harbi, Director-General of the General Department for Protection from Domestic Violence, pointed to increasing cases of neglect of the elderly in remote areas, possibly due to the prevailing economic or cultural conditions.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Muhanna, Director General of the Administration for the Elderly, said that there were about 500 residents in retirement homes, stressing that the current focus was on promoting non-accommodation services such as raising the average age and others.

“Based on surveys that we have conducted, 70 percent of the respondents called for the establishment of social clubs, while 27 percent requested day care centers,” he explained.

Lieutenant-Colonel Khaled Al-Suwailem from Riyadh’s Criminal Investigation Department, noted that the Saudi government issued a clear, explicit and strict system that guarantees the legal rights of the elderly.

“The role of the criminal investigation authorities is to control abuse cases and implement preliminary measures to protect the elderly, and then refer the cases to the Public Prosecution,” he underlined.