Article 1 of the Saudi Child Protection Law

This article is the definitions article, and sets the meaning of the words that recur in the Child Protection Law, so the other articles are understood by them unless the context of the text requires otherwise.

• Child: every human being who has not exceeded eighteen years of age, so protection covers everyone below this limit, male or female.
• Abuse: every form of mistreatment of the child or exploitation of him, and even merely threatening it. Its forms include: physical abuse (the child being exposed to physical harm or injury), psychological abuse (mistreatment that may cause him psychological or health harm), and sexual abuse (any kind of sexual assault, harm or exploitation). The word "including" means these types are examples and not exhaustive.
• Neglect: failing to provide the child's basic needs or falling short in that, including physical, health, emotional, psychological, upbringing, educational, intellectual, social, cultural and security needs.
• The Regulations: the Implementing Regulations of this Law.
• The relevant authorities: the authorities that have a connection to child protection, which the Regulations determine.

The importance of these definitions is practical; Article 2 makes the aim of the Law protecting the child from all forms of abuse and neglect as this article defines them, whoever commits them and in whatever environment the child lives.