Melania and Ivanka Trump have come under intense fire for their praise of Saudi Arabia’s so-called “empowerment” of women.
It didn’t take long for social media to mock the First Lady and President Donald Trump’s daughter for their hailing of the country’s “empowerment of women” and “encouraging progress” in women’s rights. Moreover, Ivanka’s new $ 100 million investment from the Middle East has been called into question.
On Sunday, the World Bank announced that President Donald Trump’s daughter, and White House advisor, had secured a combined $ 100 million donation from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates for Ivanka’s yet to be established ‘Women Entrepreneurs Fund’.
Will the $ 100mm pledge to Ivanka’s Women’s fund be used to help SAUDI WOMEN- who can’t drive OR walk in step with their husbands? https://t.co/jlPuTakqK1
— Stephanie Ruhle (@SRuhle) May 21, 2017
Ivanka before you get $ to help women in Middle East become entrepreneurs how abt using your privilege to help them be unopressed as humans.
— Arlene Dickinson (@ArleneDickinson) May 21, 2017
The large pledge will reportedly assist female entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Middle East by “easing their access to finance, markets and networks,”reports the WSJ. However some Twitter users suggested setting their sights lower, like securing the women a driving licence.
Ivanka: I won’t solicit funds for Women Entrepreneurs Fund
Also Ivanka: I just raised $ 100M from SA & UAE for Women Entrepreneurs Fund pic.twitter.com/1PXLgJ6YFo— Jeff Yang (@originalspin) May 21, 2017
Melania lecturing Saudi Arabian women about freedom is like Charlie Sheen promoting abstinence-only sex ed.
— Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) May 21, 2017
Are there no women in there besides Ivanka and Melania? Why didn’t they just drive there? Oh wait…
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) May 21, 2017
Both Melania and Ivanka took to Twitter to hail Saudi Arabia for its efforts toward gender equality, but for a country where women are required to cover their entire bodies and are not allowed to travel without the consent of a male guardian, critics only gawked at the so-called “progress.”
Sure, Ivanka. Nothing says “empowerment” and “progress” like preventing women from even leaving their houses without a male “guardian”! https://t.co/HZNtoMe6V5
— Sarah Abdallah (@sahouraxo) May 21, 2017
