So much for female empowerment.
I have mixed feelings about this. A hijab isn’t a burqa. On one hand, to many westerners it is a symbol of oppression. But in many religions it is a symbol of respect - including many non-Muslim (even some Christian) religions. Since we are their guests, being respectful of their culture (within reasonable bounds) is simply being polite. Again, they aren’t wearing burqas, it’s simply a scarf and it doesn’t cover the face. Many religions believe that it is disrespectful to show the top of one’s head to god - that is even true for men in many religions.
A colleague of mine frequently visits Saudi Arabia to do accreditation visits for their all-women colleges. These institutions are wellsprings of female technical education and carry the hopes of a better and more empowered future for Saudi women. While she is there, she wears a scarf over the top of her head. Everyone does, including activist women - it’s like wearing a shirt.
As an analogy, consider if in some mythical country, men normally went nude. If their ambassadors came to visit the U.S., would we be OK with that on their visit? Or would we expect them to dress according to the norms of our culture while they are here?
By the same token, I find myself bothered when I see women wearing burqas in the U.S., England, etc. Especially on college campuses… it seems contrary to basic western cultural values, which presumably is part of what attracted them here. For that reason, it seems slightly hostile (even if not their intent) - and exactly how we would be viewed there if our women ambassadors were to refuse to wear a hijab during a visit to their country.