Ivanka Trump praises UAE leadership on women’s empowerment

DUBAI: Ivanka Trump, adviser to her father US President Donald Trump, has praised the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in progressing women’s empowerment in the region and expressed hope that other countries would follow the UAE in advancing the active participation of women is various fields, according to the UAE official news agency WAM.

“We hope that other countries join in reforming laws that prevent women from fully and freely integrating into the political, social and economic spheres," she said.

She began a trip on Saturday to the UAE where she is due to speak at a conference to promote female entrepreneurship this week. She will deliver the keynote address at the official opening of Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2020. Ivanka Trump on Saturday said that the UAE is taking bold leadership on this mission in the region. The advisor to the US President was received on her arrival in the UAE by Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of the Board and Managing Director of the Dubai Women Establishment.

The Forum, to be held under the theme ‘The Power of Influence’ from 16-17 February, is being organised by DWE under the patronage of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The Global Women’s Forum Dubai 2020 will kick off on Sunday with the participation of over 100 leaders and experts from across the world, who will engage in a constructive dialogue on the advancement of women.

More than 3,000 delegates from 87 countries are expected to attend over 60 workshops and sessions, including five dedicated plenaries, throughout the two-day conference. Ivanka Trump will join other high-profile international speakers at the forum to share her views on the importance of supporting women across developing countries and enabling them to contribute to their nation’s development process.

On Saturday, she visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and met with women business leaders at the Louvre Abu Dhabi before touring the museum. Expressing her views on the Global Women’s Forum Dubai, she said, "I am delighted to be attending the forum to advance women’s economic empowerment around the world and highlight the progress of the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative.

This initiative has impacted over 12 million women in its first year, well on its way towards our goal of economically empowering 50 million women by 2025."