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One of the underlying purposes of the building of the Kingdom's infrastructure, and the expansion of the industrial and agricultural base, has been to encourage social development in its widest sense.
 Education
The true wealth of any nation is its people, for it is their ability to manage the country's existing resources and to identify and develop new ones which determines the prosperity of the economy and the health of society for present and future generations.
Mindful of the need to ensure that the Kingdom's population should be equal to the challenges of the developmental process, the government has devoted vast resources to a program covering primary, secondary and higher levels of education. All the Kingdom's Development Plans have taken into account the educational aspirations of the Saudi people, providing free education to all. The educational system has been continuously and systematically expanded to accommodate the ever-growing demand for educational services. Through this investment, the Kingdom has been able to guarantee equality of opportunity for all and to ensure that the Kingdom's need for an educated and trained national workforce to carry forward the Kingdom's future development can be fulfilled.
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Health
Of all the benefits that have accrued to the citizens of the Kingdom, none is greater than the provision of free healthcare of the highest standard, a provision extended to all those who visit the Kingdom in pilgrimage.
The decision to embark on plan of inclusive healthcare provision was taken by King Faisal who initiated a massive hospital building programs.
The following statistics, collated for 2001, illustrate the progress made in healthcare provision in the Kingdom:
| Healthcare Provision Statistics, 2001 |
| Provision |
Number |
| Hospitals |
324 |
| Beds |
46,622 |
| Doctors |
31,983 |
| Nurses |
67,421 |
| Assistant Health Personnel |
38,519 |
This information was taken from:
http://www.saudinf.com/main/h91.htm
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Health: Medical Training
To meet the requirements for the Kingdom's healthcare, it was necessary to complement the hospital building program with an equally ambitious medical training program.
Medical training institutes were established at Abha and in the Holy City of Madinah. Training centers were set up in the King Abdul Aziz University in Jiddah and in the King Faisal University and a 760-bed teaching hospital was located in the King Saud University campus outside Riyadh.
The Kingdom's healthcare provision has been so successful that it is cited by the World Health Organization as a model for the developing world.
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Primary Healthcare
In any national health service, the provision of comprehensive and efficient primary healthcare is of crucial importance. By 1988, there were more than 2,000 primary healthcare centers serving the community at local and regional level. By 1989, that figure had risen above 3,000. By 1995, the figure stood at 3,300. By 1999, the figure stood at 3,506.
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Hospitals
In 2000/2001, there were 324 hospitals in the Kingdom, and the total provision of 46,622 beds.
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital
King Faisal gave particular emphasis to the development of comprehensive healthcare for the citizens of the Kingdom. The King Faisal Specialist Hospital, outside Riyadh, which provides a range of specialist medical services, is both a testimony and a memorial to the late King's commitment to healthcare for his people.
- King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital
The King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital was opened in 1982. With accommodation for some 260 in-patients, the Hospital has established an enviable reputation in the region as a leader in the treatment of eye conditions.
The hospital maintains a full range of specialist departments including optometry, radiology and ultra sonography which are fully exploited for research as well as treatment of patients.
- King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital
- King Fahd Medical Center
This 342-bed hospital provides general hospital services for the industrial city of Yanbu and the surrounding region. It has a burns unit and maintains specialist departments for ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat), ophthalmic surgery and renal dialysis.
- King Abdul Aziz General Hospital
Located in Jiddah and completed in 1988, the King Abdul Aziz General Hospital, provides a 440-bed medical facility.
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Social Services
The social services provisions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are extensive by any standards. The Fourth Five Year Development Plan (1405-1410 AH: 1985-1990) set out clearly the philosophy behind the Kingdom's extensive social services program:
The social services are designed to redress existing imbalances, to improve living standards and the quality of life of the population, to stimulate citizen participation in community development activities, and to provide remedial care and assistance for the disabled and the deprived.
There are a number of social service agencies whose task it is to remedy social problems, many of which are created by the process of social development itself.
The government takes the view that poverty and deprivation are not necessarily due to the failure of individuals to meet their own needs. Most of these problems are a result of broader external conditions in society as a whole, and will not solve themselves. Public and private interventions are necessary to improve the conditions of the individual and the community. The Social Services agencies will continue to pay attention to the development of Saudi society, to assist in improving the standard of living, and to take steps to redress some of the social imbalances which have become salient during this period of rapid economic change.
Amongst the social services provided by the state are wide-ranging programs designed to improve living conditions for the population and to smooth the processes related to the rapid transformation of the socio-economic system. There are a number of social rehabilitation, care and remedial services, designed to assist the physically or mentally disadvantaged, to protect vulnerable members of society, and to deal with such problems as juvenile delinquency. Special attention is given to raising the living standards of the poorest sections of the community, particularly in the villages and the less developed districts of the towns and cities.
The Social Security section of the Ministry of Labor provides assistance to Saudi citizens in the following categories;
- The unemployed
- Widows and widowers
- Females who have no living family members to support them
- Orphans
- The disabled
- Families of those serving custodial sentences
- Victims of natural disasters
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The Arts
The General Presidency of Youth Welfare is responsible for the plastic arts movement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It prepares both an annual and a five year plan for the encouragement and development of the arts.
Within the Kingdom it organizes regular competitions and exhibitions. Abroad, it arranges exhibitions of Saudi Arabian art to provide Saudi artists with an international forum and to strengthen cultural ties with the host countries. The Presidency has organized exhibitions of Saudi Arabian art in the following Arab countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Outside the Arab world, the General Presidency of youth Welfare has organized exhibitions in India, Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Turkey, Germany and the United States of America (Source: General Presidency of Youth Welfare, 1988).
The Presidency is also an active participant in the Arab Youth Festivals and Exhibitions, the Kuwait Exhibition for Plastic Artists and other periodic exhibitions in Europe, Asia and India and takes part in the Biannual Arab Exhibition which is supervised by the Arab Plastic Artists Union.
Two other organizations play a key role in the artistic life of the Kingdom: The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts; and The King Fahd Cultural Center.
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Saudi Arabian Society For Culture and Arts
In 1972 (1392 AH), a Royal Decree was issued to form the Saudi Arabian Arts Society. In 1978 (1398 AH), the name of the society was changed to the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts.
This society is responsible for protecting and nurturing the culture of the Kingdom. Its duties are defined as follows:
- To develop progressively the level of culture and arts in the Kingdom
- To look after the welfare of Saudi artists and work towards raising their cultural, artistic and social standards
- To sponsor talented young people and provide an opportunity for them to develop and display their talents
- To represent the Kingdom in all matters relating to the development of culture and arts at both Arab and international levels
The work of the Society is managed by a number of committees:
- The Cultural Committee
This committee is responsible for encouraging Saudi men of letters and for raising public literary and cultural taste.
- The Plastic Arts Committee
This committee assists in the development of the plastic arts. It encourages Saudi artists and promotes their work by arranging exhibitions both within and outside the Kingdom.
- The Music and Vocal Arts Committee
This committee encourages music and singing, with special attention to the rich folk art of poetry and song to be found in the various regions of the Kingdom.
- The Information and Publications Committee
This committee is not only responsible for the dissemination of all culturally related information to the Society's branch offices and to local newspapers but also maintains an archive of artistic productions and events in the Kingdom.
The Society also maintains a Cultural Video Film and Recording Library and is responsible for the Kingdom's first Cultural Center in Riyadh, set up to revive and popularize the Kingdom's cultural heritage.
In May, 2003, the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, formerly affiliated to the General Presidency for Youth Welfare, was transferred to the newly formed Ministry of Culture and Information.
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King Fahd Cultural Center
Situated in the capital is the King Fahd Cultural Center, a building which in the grace and beauty of its design suitably reflects the riches of the Kingdom's artistic productions, both past and present, which are to be displayed there. The building occupies an area of 10,000 square meters and, within it are housed a theater with a seating capacity of 3,000, a library, a training theater, a restaurant and a cafeteria, as well as the necessary administrative offices.
In May, 2003, the King Fahd Cultural Center, formerly affiliated to the General Presidency for Youth Welfare, was transferred to the newly formed Ministry of Culture and Information.
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Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival
The annual Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival, organized by the National Guard under the command of the Crown Prince, plays a crucial role in preserving the Kingdom's national heritage.
The festival begins with a traditional camel race and is intended to embrace all aspects of Saudi Arabian traditions and culture.
A feature of the festival is the performance of traditional music by musicians from all over the Kingdom and national dances, including the Ardha, by folklore troupes.
The festival runs for two weeks each year and is attended by more than one million Saudi citizens.
King Fahd is patron of the Festival.
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Media
- Radio
In 1932 (1350/51 AH), King Abdul Aziz set up his own private radio network in the Kingdom, primarily to enable him and his officials to keep themselves informed of events.
In the full sense of public broadcasting, transmissions began in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1948 (1368 AH) - from a small station in Jiddah. This was followed three years later by a station in the Holy City of Makkah. These two stations, which were on the air for no more than 14 hours a week, broadcast recitations from the Holy Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet, news and cultural programs and some music (military marches).
From these relatively modest beginnings, the Saudi Radio Broadcasting Service emerged. In 1964 (1384 AH), the Riyadh broadcasting station and the Call of Islam station (based in the Holy City of Makkah) began transmissions.
In the discharge of its duty as the guardian of the Holy Places and its role as the center of the Islamic world, the Kingdom has employed radio to strengthen Islam within and outside Saudi Arabia. In 1973 (1393 AH), the Kingdom began short wave and high frequency broadcasting in Bembari, Bengali, English, French, Indonesian, Pharsi, Somali, Swahili, Turkestan, Turkish and Urdu.
In 1979 (1399 AH), radio broadcasts from the various stations were unified into the General Service. The programming policy governing the General Service is based on the following principles:
- The essential emphasis must be on religious, social and cultural programs
- Particular attention should be given to news and political programs
- Outstanding thinkers should be encouraged to give talks on important topics
- Provision should be made for educational programs for the enlightenment of the listeners
- There should be special programs catering for the family, for childcare and for health education.
- Eminent men of letters should be encouraged to write religious, cultural and social dramas for broadcast as serials.
In addition to the General Service, there are now a number of other radio channels:
- The Second Program Service, which broadcasts folkloric, dramatic, recreational, literary and scientific programs
- Foreign Language Broadcasting which places the emphasis on Islamic solidarity and which also has a proselytizing function
- The Call of Islam Broadcasting Station, which promulgates the message of Islam and defends the Islamic faith against the assaults of hostile ideologies
- The Holy Qur'an Broadcasting Service
- The European Languages Station, which broadcasts religious and informational programs in English and French
- Television
In 1964 (1384 AH), the late King Faisal commissioned the American National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to construct a national television network. The first test television transmissions in the Kingdom took place in 1965 (1385 AH) from stations in Riyadh and Jiddah.
Throughout the development of the Kingdom's television services, the Ministry of Information (since May, 2003, the Ministry of Culture and Information) has ensured that only the most advanced technology has been utilized. The result is certainly the best-equipped and most sophisticated television facilities in the region.
The television complex in Riyadh stands as a fine example of this commitment to technical excellence. This complex includes the most advanced production and transmission studios, a complete film production facility, a theater (with seating capacity for 800) and, rising majestically above it all, the transmission tower, a 170-meter high edifice, topped by a glass, jewel-shaped structure from which all of Riyadh is visible.
There are currently two television channels: one in Arabic, the other in English. Programming is a balanced blend of religious and cultural programs, entertainment and music, Arabic drama programs, non-Arabic films and serials, children's programs, and news and current affairs programs.
Special programming is produced for all the major events in the Islamic calendar, especially for Ramadan and for the period of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the Holy Places.
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Publications
The main daily publications are:
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Sport
The General Presidency of Youth Welfare has been responsible for the fast development of sport within the Kingdom.
As part of its program to provide the young people of the Kingdom with facilities for all sporting activities, the Presidency has built 12 integrated sports "cities" in different districts of the Kingdom. Three further "cities" are under construction.
The Kingdom is an active member of the Olympic movement. The Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, established in 1964 (1383/84 AH), included the 14 federations for the sports then practiced in the Kingdom. In 1984 (1404 AH), Saudi Arabia competed in the Olympic Games for the first time, in football and rifle-shooting. The efforts of the Saudi athletes culminated in the success of the Saudi National Football Team in 1984 (1404 AH), when the team won the Asian Football Cup.
Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee
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Role of Women in Saudi Arabia
The position of women in Islamic society in general and in Saudi Arabian society in particular is a complex and frequently misunderstood issue. It is certainly true that Muslim and Western views of the role of women show sharp cultural differences but the stereotype of Muslim women, as uneducated, with no rights and no opportunities is a caricature born of ignorance or malevolence.
The Holy Qur'an gave women economic and social rights long before such rights were attained by Western women. From the beginning of Islam, women have been legally entitled to inherit and bequeath property, holding their wealth in their own names even after marriage, without obligation to contribute that wealth to their husband or their family.
Under Islam, a woman is enjoined to behave modestly in public and, as in the West until recently, is generally expected to give a full commitment to making a family home - a home within which, incidentally, she enjoys a pre-eminent role.
Such expectations are rather different from those now widely held of women in the West, just as the stability of family life and the security of women in Islamic society differs markedly from the conditions which women now face in Western society.
Although women in Saudi Arabia have a pre-eminent role within the family, it would be a mistake to think that the role of women in Saudi Arabian society is confined to home-making. The development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has brought with it increasing opportunities for women in both education and employment. In 1960 (1379/80 AH), the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia undertook the introduction of a national education program for girls. By the mid-1970s (1390s AH), about half of all Saudi Arabian girls were attending school. Five years later, education was available to all Saudi girls.
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Youth Hostels
The first youth hostels were established by the General Presidency for Youth Welfare in 1969 (1388/89 AH). In this undertaking the Presidency had two objectives:
- To develop and support the youth hostel movement in the Kingdom
- To increase young people's knowledge of all the Kingdom's regions by encouraging them to travel within the Kingdom and to broaden their knowledge of other countries by utilizing youth hostel facilities abroad.
The Kingdom's youth hostels boast modern swimming pools, theaters and areas for hobbies and light games, as well as sleeping accommodation.
There are approximately 20 youth hostels currently in operation in the Kingdom.
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