Monday, August 13, 2012

Saudi Arabia To Build Women-Only Industrial City

Saudi Arabia To Build Women-Only Industrial City: In a bid to reconcile strict gender-segregation laws with a desire to increase employment opportunities for women, Saudi Arabia is planning to construct a new industrial "city" exclusively for female workers, Russian news agency RT reports.

According to Asian News International (ANI), the municipality, which will be built in the Eastern Province city of Hofuf, is the "first of several" women-only cities planned for the conservative kingdom.

Women in Saudi Arabia require a male guardian's consent for a host of activities including marriage, divorce or travel. The Guardian notes that segregated schools, universities and offices are already common in the country.