Saudi Arabia gender barrier may not appear

Saudi Arabia may consider dropping plans for a barrier separating men and the newly appointed women in the country’s top advisory body.

The reports in Saudi newspapers follow the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday for the first women in the ultraconservative kingdom’s Shura Council. There was no barrier during the event, during which the 30 women sat on one side of the chamber and the 130 men on the other.

Saudi Arabia’s strict Islamic codes sharply restrict mixing between genders.

The kingdom’s women are still banned from driving and face many other restrictions.