'It's extraordinary to see behind the veil', says Duchess

Role of women in society main theme of the duchess’ visit The Duchess of Cornwall said she has been moved to 'see behind the veil' during her three-day trip to Saudi Arabia. Speaking during a visit to a female-only centre which offers training and job opportunities this morning, Camilla said she believed huge strides had been made in empowering women since she last visited almost six years ago.   
According to Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, which accompanied her on the trip, she said: “I've noticed from the last visit I made here in 2006 - five, six years ago now - a sea of change.”
“Talking to all the women, they tell me they feel the difference too.”
“They are in a world that can see and is starting to recognise their talents.”
“I think one of the great examples is the king giving access to the ladies in parliament. I think that has made a huge difference,” she said.
“There is more and more progress all the time.”
“(This time) I have had much more of a chance to meet so many women from so many different walks of life - from the women of the Shura (the Saudi parliament), to these wonderful entrepreneurs you see around us here.”
“It's extraordinary to have the opportunity to see behind the veils. It's been the most remarkable experience,” she said.
The role of women in society has been the main theme of the duchess’s visit to the country.
Saudi women have few rights and are required, regardless of age, to have a male guardian - typically a father or husband – who must give their permission for everything from opening a bank account to marriage.
They cannot vote or be elected to high office and are prohibited from driving. In 2011 a woman from Jeddah was sentenced to ten lashes by whip after being caught behind the wheel.
Women are also required to be segregated from men in public. Most offices, banks and universities have separate entrances and they are required to sit separately on public transport and in restaurants.
When it comes to dress, women are also expected to cover all parts of the body that are 'awrah' - not meant to be exposed.
Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islam means they must cover their entire body with a black cloak known as an abaya and headcovering, or hijab, leaving just the eyes and the hands exposed.
Conventions for dress and behaviour are all fiercely enforced by the notorious religious police, or mutaween, whose official title is the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
As a member of the British royal family, Camilla is not required to wear an abaya - but has chosen to dress 'demurely' as a mark of respect to her hosts.
The duchess has already visited Riyadh's women-only university and met with some of the country's 30 new female MPs to highlight some of the steps Saudi women are taking towards equality.
Today she was at the Bab Rizq Jameel Nafisa Shams Female Academy for Arts and Crafts, which provides training and job opportunities for Saudi women.
She was greeted by Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, the chairman of the Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives, and was given a tour of the training centre, starting upstairs with the beauty and fashion workshops.
The area is very much women-only with even the duchess’s male bodyguards forced to wait downstairs.
One of the classes she watched was on how to apply wedding make-up.
The Bab Rizq Jameel project provides vocational training programmes in collaboration with government institutions, with students selected and financed for three to six month intensive development courses.
It has already created over 190,000 job opportunities throughout Saudi Arabia.
The royal couple’s visit to Saudi Arabia is of huge importance to the British Government in terms of diplomatic, trade and military links, but was always going to prove controversial because of the country’s human rights record.
Their visit, which started on Friday, saw them arrive at the centre of an international human rights outcry, with pressure groups calling on Prince Charles to voice his disapproval at the controversial public execution of seven men on Wednesday.
The victims, who had been convicted of armed robbery, died at the hands of a ‘humane’ firing squad as the country is, according to reports, struggling to find enough executioners to carry out traditional beheadings.
Two of the group were juveniles when they were charged before being detained for more than three years.
This afternoon, Charles and Camilla flew to Oman for the final leg of their Middle East tour.