Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Mawaddah Society for Family Development in Makkah has cordially settled about 42 percent of cases about family differences it received last year, the Arabic daily Al-Madina reported on Saturday, quoting the society's director general Mohammed Al-Radi.

He said as many as 3,882 people benefited from the society's reconciliation services in 2018.

"The society extended as many as 19,615 services, including family counseling, reconciliation and arbitration, during 2018," he said.

Radi said the society helped execute 24,508 rulings concerning visitation rights and correct the behavior of 606 children following the separation of their parents.

Zuhair Bin Ali Al-Marhoumi, deputy chairman of the board of directors, said the society was planning to provide up to 20,000 family counseling services in 2019 through telephone calls, electronic guidance and personal meetings.

He said the counseling services would be extended to unstable families that are not able to face the challenges or those facing hurdles and challenges threatening their stability as well as family members who are unable to resolve their issues and differences due to a lack of communication among them.

As many as 12,359 families benefitted from the society's services last year, Radi said, adding that about 42 percent of them were satisfied by the services.

He said marital problems comprised 5,394 of the cases while family differences accounted for 756 cases and 241 cases involved behavioral problems.