Sec-Gen of Saudi Family Affairs Council: Similar Cases Globally, Different Solutions

Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Twaijri, the Secretary General of Family Affairs Council, speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat. (Photo: Ali Al-Zaheri)
Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Twaijri, the Secretary General of Family Affairs Council, speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat. (Photo: Ali Al-Zaheri)
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Sec-Gen of Saudi Family Affairs Council: Similar Cases Globally, Different Solutions

Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Twaijri, the Secretary General of Family Affairs Council, speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat. (Photo: Ali Al-Zaheri)
Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Twaijri, the Secretary General of Family Affairs Council, speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat. (Photo: Ali Al-Zaheri)

Saudi Arabia's Secretary-General of Family Affairs Council, Dr. Hala bint Mazyad Al-Twaijri, said that women concerns in Saudi Arabia are treated comprehensively, based on a system that is considered the best in international practices.

“In order to establish policies pertaining to women, we must first ensure that they enjoy their full rights,” she noted

Saudi Arabia’s Family Affairs Council was established on July 25, 2016, as an independent and official entity for the management of family issues.

The Council seeks to unite the efforts of all government sectors on children, women and the elderly. Twelve ministries are fully represented within the entity.

Al-Twaijri told Asharq Al-Awsat that when the coronavirus pandemic emerged, families were faced with further problems, especially as the virus threatened the elderly precisely.

“Older people are the most affected by the virus, so it was necessary to focus on them. The council conducted a survey to identify the most important challenges that this age group faced during the pandemic,” she noted.

The Council carried out a campaign on social media, in cooperation with various bodies, such as the Ministry of Health, to raise awareness on the means to protect this age group and alleviate their anxiety.

On a different note, Al-Twaijri emphasized the benefits of the participation of the Saudi Family Affairs Council in international organizations. She valued the Cabinet’s decision to approve the representation of Saudi Arabia in the Council of the Women’s Development Organization in the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“Balance is an important factor that is always present in the strategies of international organizations concerned with women’s affairs. It’s the balance between the women’s public and family life. In order to achieve this equilibrium, it is necessary to address the family situation of women, which in turn guarantees the access to all of their rights,” she explained.

In this regard, she emphasized that Saudi Arabia deals women issues in a comprehensive manner, based on the best international practices.

She continued: “Countries of the world have similar family challenges, no matter the differences between us. Thus, amending existing laws or proposing new policies to promote social responsibility will reflect on the Saudi society and then on the world.”



France Bans Smoking in Beaches, in Parks and Bus Shelters

A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
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France Bans Smoking in Beaches, in Parks and Bus Shelters

A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

France will ban smoking on beaches and in parks, public gardens and bus shelters from Sunday, the government said.

The decree, published in the official government gazette Saturday, will also ban smoking outside libraries, swimming pools and schools, and is aimed at protecting children from passive smoking.

Health and family minister Catherine Vautrin said in May that tobacco must disappear where there are children.

The freedom to smoke "stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts", she said.

Offenders face a fine of up to €135 ($154), Vautrin added.

The ban will not extend to France's iconic cafe terraces however, the minister said.

Electronic cigarettes, which have boomed in France in recent years, are also not covered.

An estimated 35 percent of France's population are smokers – higher than the averages for Europe (25 percent) and the world (21 percent), according to the World Health Organization.

Around 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France.