Jordan Times
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Queen calls for
investments to benefit women worldwide
AMMAN (JT) - Her Majesty Queen Rania on Tuesday stressed the need for more
investment in women’s advancement.
Addressing a cross section of prominent Washingtonians on the occasion of
International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on March 8 around the world, Her
Majesty focused her remarks on the progress women have made in advancing
economic opportunity and building civil society and political progress.
Queen Rania also noted that despite the strides women have made, many challenges
remain.
Citing her firsthand field experiences, the Queen spoke about the changes she
has seen, especially in Jordan and in the region, when women have access to
business opportunities and political participation.
“We are moving in the right direction,” she said of the Arab world.
“The number of Arab women entrepreneurs is on the rise… in my travels across the
region, from Lebanon to Morocco to Dubai, I see Arab women taking on an
ever-greater role in society - as doctors, lawyers, and teachers,” she added.
She reminded her audience that investments in women benefit all sectors of
society.
“Working women are not only better able to support their families, they
strengthen productivity and bolster growth for their communities and their
countries,” the Queen said.
The Queen applauded Vital Voices’ newest initiative to advance the status of
women, calling the campaign “a path-breaking coalition to invest in women’s
leadership”.
The Women Can Campaign, launched this week to coincide with International
Women’s Day, will help identify, inspire, train and empower women leaders in
developing countries and emerging democracies around the world, and communicate
the value of women’s leadership.
The Queen praised the campaign’s founder, Melanne Verveer, chairperson of Vital
Voices Global Partnership, and her partners: ExxonMobil Corporation, designer
and CEO Diane von Furstenberg, international business adviser Carly Fiorina and
Advertising Firm EURO RSCG Worldwide for their leadership.
The event was co-sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, Vital Voices Global
Partnership and he Coca-Cola Company.
Vital Voices is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that identifies, trains and
empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe,
enabling them to create a better world for all.
It equips women with management, business development, marketing, and
communications skills to expand their enterprises, help provide for their
families, and create jobs in their communities.
Vital Voices also enables women to become change agents in their governments,
advocates for social justice, and supporters of democracy and the rule of law.
In addition, it is at the forefront of international coalitions to combat human
trafficking and all forms of violence against women and girls.
Vital Voices’ international staff and team of more than 1,000 partners, pro bono
experts and leaders - including senior government, corporate and NGO executives
- have trained and mentored more than 5,000 emerging women leaders from over 150
countries in Asia, Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East since
1997.
These women have returned home to train and mentor more than 100,000additional
women and girls in their communities - they are the vital voices of our time.