Saudi Arabia launches girls' council - without any girls

There were a total of 13 men (not all pictured) on stage to launch the Qassim Girls Council in Saudi Arabia

It was an encouraging initiative for a country not known for giving women a platform in public life.

But when Saudi Arabia wanted to show off its inaugural girls' council in al-Qassim province, they overlooked one thing: the women.

Pictures released to mark the first Qassim Girls Council meeting showed 13 men on stage, and not a single female.

The women were apparently in another room, linked via video.

The male-dominated photos have been circulating widely on social media, after the meeting took place on Saturday.

It has been compared to another viral hit - an image of US President Donald Trump, surrounded by men, signing an abortion policy in January.

US President Donald Trump signing the abortion-related order in the Oval Office

The Saudi launch was led by Prince Faisal bin Mishal bin Saud, the province's governor, who said he was proud of the conference and it was the first of its kind in the kingdom.

"In the Qassim region, we look at women as sisters to men, and we feel a responsibility to open up more and more opportunities that will serve the work of women and girls," he said.

The girls' council is chaired by Princess Abir bint Salman, his wife, who was not in the photograph.

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In Saudi Arabia, a state policy of gender segregation between unrelated men and women is rigorously enforced.

But the country may be moving toward loosening some of its rules as part of its Vision 2030 programme.

Its goals included increasing women's participation in the workforce from 22% to 30%.

In his speech to launch the girls' council, Prince Faisal said women make up half of society, although looking at that picture, you would not know it.