(BBC News) Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority has issued a stern rebuke to women who appeared at an economic conference unveiled in the presence of men. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz al-Sheikh said the women's behavior was shameful and warned of "grave consequences." His remarks came after the country's leading businesswoman made a speech without a headscarf at an economic forum in the Red Sea port of Jeddah. Lubna al-Olayan used the speech to call for female empowerment in the kingdom and to unlock the potential of the country's female workforce.
2004-01-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive