World’s Largest Women’s University Opens in Saudi Arabia

Covering an area of over 8 million square meters, built for a capacity of 50,000 students, 15 colleges, a 700 bed university hospital. All built in just 2 and half years; for women. More precisely, for the women of a Muslim country.

Unfortunately, the opening of Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman women’s university earlier this month in Riyadh, largest of it’s kind in the world, did not make international headlines. Looking at the attention received by other issues surrounding women, such as the driving ban, I felt that the building of this university refuted any claims that the some laws are imposed to mistreat women or lower their status in society. Personally, driving is a barely a concern when the women of a country are deemed deserving of such a great institution.

If the establishment of this university is of no or little concern to the same media sources whose pens hastily move at any chance to discuss the ‘oppressed’ lives of the women of this country and neighboring Muslim countries, then I can only be led to question their motives. Why is it that topics of veils and male guardians turn their heads, as they feel a need to ‘free’ Muslim women, yet an educational institute dedicated to the same women does not seem as important?