Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Labor and Social Development has reported that 74 percent of Saudi women found begging in the street are illiterate.

The ministry said 14 out of the 19 Saudi women beggars held in the past year were illiterate while five of them had only primary school education. It said 42 percent of the women were married and 26 percent of them divorced while 16 percent were widows.

Two of the beggars were single and one was an elderly abandoned woman.

The report carried by Al-Madina newspaper said 15 of the beggars were above 35 years, 2 above 30 and two in their 20s.

Minister of Labor and Social Development Ahmad Al-Rajhi said anti-beggary offices would report directly to the ministry's directorates in each province and governorate.

"These offices will take the Saudi beggars off the street and investigate their social situations while non-Saudi beggars will be handed over to the police," said Al-Rajhi.

The ministry will be working with several government ministries such as the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Islamic Affairs, Education, Health, Culture, Housing, and Commerce and Investment to tackle the begging issue, he said.