No men allowed: Saudis construct women only city

Second city of its kind will help promote ambitions of Saudi Arabia's career minded women without contradicting Islamic country's tough sharia laws

Ynet|Published: 08.12.12 , 12:28

The Saudis have begun construction of a women only city, the second in the Islamic country, with the purpose of combining tough sharia laws and the wishes of women seeking a career.

According to Britain's Daily Mail the city will have food and textile industries which will all be run by and employ women.

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The new initiative will facilitate women’s desire to work without defying the country’s Islamic laws. Although Saudi sharia law does not prohibit women from working figures show that only 15% of women are represented in the workforce.

The plan coincides with the government's ambitions to get women to play a more active part in the development of the country. Among the stated objectives are to create jobs, particularly for younger women, the Daily Mail reported.

"I'm sure that women can demonstrate their efficiency in many aspects and clarify the industries that best suits their interests, their nature and their ability," said Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon) deputy director-general, Saleh Al-Rasheed.

But despite some progress, women's rights in Saudi Arabia are still defined by Islam and lack basic freedoms found in many Western cultures.

Women were only allowed to separate ID cards in 2001, and only with the approval of a male guardian, a father or husband. Women are not allowed to leave their homes unaccompanied by a male member of the family; they must cover themselves with a veil whenever they leave their homes and must not come into contact with any man who is not their husband or family member.

Last September, King Abdullah announced that women will be able to vote and run in the 2015 local elections but Saudi Arabia is still the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving and it took huge efforts from the International Olympic Committee to persuade them to enter women in the Games for the first time ever.