Minister of Justice: Judicial volunteering enhances justice and supports Vision 2030
The Minister of Justice emphasizes the importance of judicial volunteering
His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Justice, Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani, emphasized the pivotal role of volunteer work within the justice system. He explained that this approach represents a fundamental and crucial pillar for strengthening the values of social justice, in addition to its active role in empowering the non-profit sector. These efforts are fully aligned with the objectives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which places the development of volunteer work and the expansion of community participation at the forefront of its development priorities.
General context and objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030
Historically, volunteer work in Saudi Arabia has relied heavily on individual initiatives and traditional charitable efforts. However, with the launch of Vision 2030, volunteer work has transformed into an institutional, organized, and sustainable endeavor, with the ambitious vision aiming to reach one million volunteers by 2030. In this context, the Ministry of Justice has adopted innovative strategies to integrate legal and Sharia professionals into volunteer programs, reflecting a qualitative shift in the provision of judicial services and ensuring access to legal support for all segments of society, especially the most vulnerable groups.
Tangible achievements and figures that reflect success
Regarding tangible results, the Ministry of Justice revealed figures reflecting the scale of the achievement; more than 5,000 volunteers participated in the initiatives and opportunities launched by the Ministry. This active participation resulted in over 200,000 volunteer hours, distributed across approximately 1,000 diverse volunteer opportunities. These efforts were not limited to administrative support work, but also included providing specialized legal consultations, court representation services, and a range of community programs and services that contribute to facilitating access to justice.
The local, regional, and international impact of judicial volunteering
This strategic approach has far-reaching implications. Domestically, legal volunteering contributes to establishing the concept of preventative justice and raising legal awareness among citizens and residents, thereby reducing the influx of cases to the courts and resolving disputes at their inception. Regionally, the Saudi model for institutionalizing legal volunteering offers a pioneering experience that can be replicated in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the wider Arab world, enhancing the efficiency of judicial systems in the region. Internationally, these efforts directly align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 16, which calls for promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions, highlighting the Kingdom's commitment to international human rights standards and facilitating access to justice.
Strategic partnership with the non-profit sector
In closing, the Minister of Justice stated that the Ministry is strongly committed to developing the system of judicial volunteer work by strengthening strategic partnerships with the non-profit sector. This ongoing collaboration aims to empower volunteer initiatives related to judicial services and expand access to legal services for all segments of society, thereby ensuring the building of a society aware of its rights and responsibilities, based on a sophisticated, inclusive, and sustainable judicial environment.
