Pilgrims’ Rights to Health Insurance from the Human Rights Perspective

All human beings, irrespective of any restriction, race, and nationality, have the right to enjoy minimum living facilities and be protected against social dangers and harm. Hajj is one of the obligatory religious rites that Muslims are eager to perform. The Saudi government, as the host, is obliged to respect and guarantee all pilgrims’ rights. The rights of pilgrims in the Hajj rituals have different aspects; one of the most important rights is the right to medical insurance, because unpredictable events may occur while performing the Hajj rituals, as a result, pilgrims’ bodies and souls may get hurt and may even lead to their disability or death; in which case, while losing the spiritual etiquette of the rituals, exorbitant costs are imposed on the Hajj pilgrims. To prevent such incidents, although, the Saudi government is required, in the first place, to provide health facilities for the pilgrims; the realization of using health insurance is another measure that the Saudi government is committed to guarantee during the Hajj rites. The results of this descriptive-analytical research show that the right to health insurance, as one of the important examples of social security, is one of the basic and important rights of pilgrims; and governments, including the government of Saudi Arabia, as the host government, must adhere to the principle of equality and equitable distribution in exercising the pilgrims’ rights to health insurance. However, there are shortcomings and obstacles in the implementation of this right.