Saudi Arabia builds female only city

Saudi women illustration 
By: Moses Gold 

This will probably be the first city of its kind, a women only city.

Saudi Arabia plans to build a new city exclusively for women in their attempt to combine strict Islamic law and women with career-minded orientations.

It is believed that the Saudi Authority for Industrial Property or ‘Modon’ was asked to bring the country up to date with the rest of the modern world with building this controversial city, now being designed with construction to begin next year.

It is expected to allow women to work without challenging the country's Islamic laws.

The municipality in the eastern city of Hafuf is expected to attract 500 million rials or £84 million in investments and create about 5,000 jobs in the textiles, pharmaceuticals and food processing industries.

There will be women-led companies and production lines for women.

Although Saudi Islamic law does not prohibit women from working, figures show that only 15 percent of women are represented in the workforce.

The plan coincides with the ambitions of government to ensure that women play a more active role in the development of the country. Among the stated objectives are to create jobs, especially for younger women.

"We have plans to establish a number of women-only industries in various parts of the kingdom,” a Saudi official said.