Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has recently intensified its humanitarian outreach, launching initiatives across Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. These efforts encompass support for orphans in Mali, empowerment programs for displaced women in Yemen, and medical and demining projects in Yemen and Sudan. However, similar focus and resources are urgently needed to address pressing humanitarian issues within Saudi Arabia itself.
KSrelief signed an agreement to sponsor 1,350 orphans in Mali, covering their tuition fees and providing additional support to 430 orphans who are primary breadwinners for their families. This initiative aims to alleviate the hardships faced by vulnerable children in the region.
In collaboration with UN Women and Yemen’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, KSrelief launched a year-long initiative to support displaced women and survivors of gender-based violence in Yemen’s Aden and Taiz governorates. It is designed to support 18,000 women and 325 frontline workers in safe spaces and protection centers, with an indirect impact on approximately 126,000 individuals.
KSrelief continues to invest in volunteer projects to improve living conditions in Yemen and Sudan. In Yemen, the organization initiated Project Masam to remove unexploded ordnance nationwide. So far, the program has removed 491,983 explosives, enhancing safety for local communities. In Sudan, a week-long urology medical program brought together eight volunteer staff members who examined 160 patients and carried out 60 urological surgeries.
While KSrelief’s humanitarian initiatives are commendable, they are inconsistent with pressing human rights concerns within Saudi Arabia and its immediate borders.
Saudi Arabia’s ambitious infrastructure projects, including preparations for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, heavily rely on migrant labor. Reports have highlighted widespread abuses faced by these workers, such as “wage theft, unsafe conditions, and excessive hours”. Between 2008 and 2022, at least 13,685 Bangladeshi nationals died in Saudi Arabia, with many of these deaths remaining unexplained. The recent death of Muhammad Arshad, a Pakistani foreman working on the Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, underscores the ongoing risks faced by migrant workers.
Human Rights Watch has documented systematic abuses by Saudi border guards against Ethiopian migrants attempting to cross from Yemen. These abuses include the use of explosive weapons and close-range shootings, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Such actions could constitute crimes against humanity. Despite sustained international criticism, these practices reportedly continue, raising serious concerns about accountability and human rights protections.
Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a military intervention in Yemen, contributing to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The conflict has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and has devastated the country’s infrastructure and economy. Saudi-led airstrikes and blockades have been criticized for exacerbating food insecurity and hindering access to essential goods and services.
Despite the positive impact of KSrelief’s aid programs, they highlight a dichotomy between Saudi Arabia’s external aid efforts and its internal human rights record. Addressing domestic issues such as migrant worker exploitation, border violence, and the impacts of its military actions in Yemen is crucial for Saudi Arabia to align its humanitarian image with its domestic and regional practices. For Saudi Arabia to be recognized as a genuine leader in humanitarian efforts, it must not only provide aid abroad but also ensure the protection and rights of individuals within and along its borders.