Ivanka Trump extols in Dubai
Middle East nations progressing on women’s rights, she says
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Ivanka Trump on Sunday lauded a handful of Middle East countries, including close U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, for embarking on “significant reforms” to advance women’s rights, while she spoke at a gathering of female entrepreneurs and regional leaders in Dubai.
The daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump was delivering the keynote address at the two-day Global Women’s Forum held in an opulent resort overlooking the city’s Persian Gulf coastline.
“We know that when women are free to succeed, families thrive, communities flourish and nations are stronger,” Trump said.
In her speech Sunday, Trump touted what she said was the progress of women in the United States.
“Today, American women are leading in every aspect of society. Last year, there were more women than men in the United States workforce, with women securing over 70 percent of new jobs,” she said in her address.
Trump congratulated Saudi Arabia for recent changes in the law that allow women to travel abroad and obtain a passport without the permission of a male relative. In 2018, a ban on women driving cars was lifted. The changes are part of a wide-ranging push to transform the Saudi economy, attract greater foreign investment and ease international criticism.
Trump pointed to changes in other Middle East countries, as well. She said Bahrain had introduced legislation against discrimination in the workplace; Jordan had eliminated legal restrictions on women’s ability to work at night; Morocco had expanded women’s land rights; and Tunisia had introduced laws to combat domestic violence.
She said more work needed to be done. She noted that across the region, women on average still have only half the legal rights of men.
The audience for her speech in the UAE included Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, World Bank President David Malpass and International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva.
In her speech, Trump commended Emirati leaders for “removing barriers to women joining the workforce and developing a national strategy that recognizes that women are central to sustainable growth.”
She noted that although 70 percent of Emirati university graduates are women, only 10 percent of the UAE’S total national income is derived from women.