Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Sep 19, 2025

Saudi Arabia approves law protecting rights of senior citizens

Saudi Arabia approves law protecting rights of senior citizens

Kingdom's elderly citizens number close to 1.3 million individuals, about 5 per cent of the total population

Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved a law to give greater protection to the rights of senior citizens.

Although the Cabinet has yet to give full details of the new law, a draft bill has been under discussion at the kingdom's Shura Council since last April.

The law aims to spread awareness about the rights of elderly people in society and calls for the implementation of a system to promote volunteer activities to serve senior citizens and offer facilities for them in public and commercial places, residential areas and mosques.

According to reports on the draft bill, the senior citizens’ law spells out the right for elderly individuals to live with their families, who are obliged to take care of their physical and emotional needs.

The law also stipulates that it will be illegal for anyone to forcibly send a senior citizen to a retirement home without the express consent of the individual concerned.

Amid reforms, tourism comes to Saudi Arabia – in pictures
Hegra After Dark.

Hegra After Dark launched in November as a new way to experience AlUla.

Saudi Arabian airline flynas launched direct flights from Dubai to AlUla in 2021.

The new Habitas Al Ula. P

Habitas adds 96 much-needed rooms to AlUla's inventory.

Luxury eco resort Habitas sits in an ancient oasis in the desert canyons of the Ashar Valley.

Habitas Al Ula.

A rendering of The St Regis Riyadh, which is due to open in 2022.


The law enshrines the Labour and Social Development Ministry's provision of regular and free assistance to the elderly when they need it. It also states that senior citizens are exempt from paying government service fees, in accordance with articles seven and eight of the draft law.

The law comes as the kingdom passes dozens of bills and reforms covering everything from personal statute regulations to labour practices and how to bring more women into the workforce. While various other laws touched on areas included in the new law it now unifies the legislation in one place.

The Labour and Social Development Ministry in 2017 first began a campaign with authorities to draft a special law protecting the elderly after the public was shocked by a case of an older man found locked up in a homemade prison created by his sons.

At the time, the ministry on Twitter asked for those with experience and interest in social affairs to provide feedback on the draft law.

According to the latest statistics from Saudi Arabia’s Department of Statistics, the number of elderly citizens is almost 1.3 millions, about 5 per cent of the population, but experts say that proportion could rise to 15 per cent of the population by 2050.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
×