The Al-Mawaddah Society for Family Development has released its monthly report tracking global changes in family-related legislation, policies, and programs. Covering the period from September 1 to September 30, 2026, the report aims to analyze international trends and monitor their implications for family issues, child protection, parental care, and social support.
Mohammed Al-Radhi, CEO of the Al-Mawaddah Society, explained that the report aligns with the Society’s commitment to enhancing knowledge regarding family affairs and leveraging international experiences and policies to develop solutions and programs that address rapid social transformations. He noted that regularly monitoring global developments contributes to formulating a more proactive vision for the future of the family.
Al-Radhi indicated that the September report tracked 40 items across 16 countries, ranging from enacted legislation, executive policies and programs, and projects or consultations in progress, to family-related judicial measures. According to the report, the breakdown included 18 executive items, 7 enacted measures, 9 items in progress, 59 approved or published items, and two judicial measures.
He highlighted three prominent global trends observed during the month: strengthening child protection and responses to violence; expanding care services and financial support for families; and balancing work with family responsibilities. These trends were driven by the development of protection and referral mechanisms, the expansion of childcare programs and subsidies, and the updating of policies regarding parental leave and flexible work arrangements. Al-Radhi added: "We do not view these developments merely as isolated legislative news items; rather, we see them as indicators that help us understand the global trajectory of family policies. They offer insights that can be leveraged to enhance programs and services, and to design interventions that are more closely aligned with the needs of families."
The report indicated that Europe led the monitored regions with 21 items across seven countries, followed by the Americas with nine items across three countries. Oceania and Africa followed with six items across three countries, and Asia with four items across two countries, in addition to one item falling within the local and regional scope.
Regarding the Kingdom, the report noted that monitoring conducted during September did not identify any new Saudi legislative developments meeting the report's specific inclusion criteria. It emphasized, however, that this finding relates to the specific scope of sources and entities monitored and does not rule out the existence of other developments outside that scope.
Al-Radhi concluded by affirming that the Al-Waddah Association will continue to refine its tools for monitoring and comparatively analyzing global family policies. This effort aims to strengthen the association's role in generating knowledge, anticipating shifts that impact the family, and transforming international insights into development opportunities that can be applied locally.