RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- A U.S. Congressional group on a fact-finding trip to Saudi Arabia discovered one hard fact -- the ministry of defense has no women's bathrooms.
The group included four women. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., told Bikyamasr.com that he and other men in the delegation offered to guard the men's bathroom while women used the facilities, but Saudi officials would not allow that.
"It was a pretty astonishing experience for me and for them too, I think," Welch said. "These are strong independent women and they're used to being treated equally and treating others equally and you're in a society where there's strict segregation and it's pretty stunning."
While no women may work in the ministry of defense, Welch said he would expect them to be used to female visitors from other countries.
The delegation was in Riyadh to discuss Iran's nuclear program.
