Ivanka applauds UAE leaders' effort to end gender disparities

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Dubai - "Here in the UAE we would like to commend Emirati leaders for removing barriers for women joining the workforce," said Ivanka.

by

Anjana Sankar

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Published: Mon 17 Feb 2020, 4:23 PM

UAE is making great strides towards advancing women's economic advancement and the country has developed a national strategy that recognizes women as central to sustainable growth, the US President's advisor Ivanka Trump said here in Dubai on Sunday.
Ivanka was delivering her keynote address during the Global Women's Forum Dubai (GWFD) on Sunday
"Here in the UAE we would like to commend Emirati leaders for removing barriers for women joining the workforce," said Ivanka.
She thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council for their "strong and steadfast commitment to advancing women's economic participation across Dubai and the broader UAE."
Both leaders were in attendance at the GWFD.
"Last year, more than 70 per cent of Emirati university graduates were women. Yet, only 10 per cent of UAE national income is derived from women and we know that this is going to grow and flourish in the years ahead. Progress ultimately builds upon progress."
She said America has witnessed the advantages of empowering women. "Today American woman are leading in every aspect of society. Last year, there were more women than men in the United States workforce with women securing 70 per cent of the new jobs. Women in America represent 40 per cent of the primary breadwinners. All of you here can also pioneer historical challenges in this region within your lifetimes."
Quoting examples of Saudi Arabia changing laws to respect women's freedom of movement; Bahrain introducing legislation to prevent discrimination in workplace, Jordan eliminating legal restrictions on women's ability to work at night, Morocco extending land rights to women and Tunisia introducing critical laws to combat domestic violence, Ivanka said past two years have seen tremendous progress towards financial empowerment of women.
But women continue to face obstacles and challenges in achieving their full potential. "In the Middle East and Africa, women on an average only has half legal rights as men."
She said women's economic equality in the region alone has the potential to add 600 billion dollars to global annual GDP by 2025.
"This number represents a far more than an economic boom. It represents of millions of lives full of promise."
Ivanka said the Women's Entrepreneurial Financial Initiative or what is known as 'We-fi'
Jointly launched by the US and UAE two years ago have mobilized 2.6 billion dollars in both private and public sector investments in more than 100,000 women-owned business around the world.
Likewise, Ivanka said the Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (WGDP) launched by the White House in 2019 aims to impact 50 million women by 2025. "But in our first year, we have already impacted more than 12 million women."
She spoke about the five legal barriers on women that needs reform including accessing institutions accessing credits, owning and managing property, travelling freely, and restrictions on women's employment. "Women's economic activity could increase annual global GDP by around 7.7 trillion for these five foundational laws."
"We are here together to ask nations in this region to continue to work with us to break new grounds, to institute changes legally and culturally and give every woman a chance to determine her own destiny and bring greater peace and prosperity to this region and to the world," she concluded.


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