Governments ensure access to finance education and legal system for women: IMF Chief speaks at Global Women's Forum Dubai
Date
2/23/2016 7:38:20 AM
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
DUBAI 23rd February 2016 (WAM) -- governments around the world need to urgently remedy the issues of access to finance education and legal system for women according to Christine Lagarde Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund IMF.
Opening the keynote panel discussion at the Global Women's Forum Dubai 2016 today the IMF chief said "Rules need to be changed. Three things that require urgent attention are better education access to finance and the legal system."
The panel discussion was moderated by Olivier Fleurot Senior Vice-President and Member of P12- Publicis Groupe France.
"Help women in policy point of view" Lagarde said citing statistics that among 143 countries surveyed 90 percent do not have a legal system to support women.
She commended the UAE's Father of the Nation the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his wife H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak for doing an incredibly good job to empower women.
Her advice to women in business and profession is "Stand for yourselves do not be submissive be a champion of others. You should take the view that everyone can succeed."
Lagarde has drawn examples of various women for their spirit of resilience and empowerment and suffering such as Michelle Bachelet President of the Republic of Chile who has come back to power Angela Merkel who has been in power for 10 years in Germany Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar and Queen Rania Abdullah of Jordan.
On the state of affairs of the global economy Lagarde said that the world is witnessing a tepid recovery of just 3.1 percent last year to 3 percent this year and little growth next year. Recovery in the US and Japan may be bigger but overall the recovery is 'tepid' she said.
Emerging markets except India are either slowing down or showing little growth. Growth in China Brazil and Russia will be negative this year. Others are facing a new reality of the slowdown. China is moving from heavy manufacturing to light manufacturing. The fundamentals of the Chinese economy are changing and we see a new approach to governance. There is a massive transition a multi-layer transition she added.
The Global Women's Forum Dubai 2016 is taking place at the Madinat Jumeirah from February 23rd-24th under the patronage of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and led by H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum President of the UAE Gender Balance Council President of Dubai Women Establishment and wife of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs UAE.
The Forum is organised by Dubai Women Establishment in cooperation with the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society.
WAM/AAMIR/Moran