US initiative to empower women globally to include projects in India

Named Women's Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, the scheme aims to cover at least 50 million women by 2025.

In charge of the project is Ivanka Trump, senior advisor and daughter to US President Donald Trump.

"As my National Security Strategy says, investing in women helps achieve greater peace and prosperity for nations — not only our nations; this is all nations all over the world.  We’re getting together.  We’ve developed a lot of really tremendous relationships because of what we’re doing right here," President Trump said as he signed to launch the initiative.

"Through this initiative, our goal is to reach 50 million women, and maybe more.  And it looks like it is probably going to be substantially more than that — substantially more than 50 million women in the developing world," he said.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ivanka Trump said: "We will hit 50 million women by 2025 through one of three pillars.

"The first is women prospering in the workforce — so helping with vocational applications that will enable them to secure jobs; giving them access to technology, which will enhance the productivity at the work that they’re already doing.

"The second is helping women entrepreneurs gain access to finance and capital that enable them to scale and grow their businesses.  This will create a multiplier effect, lifting up communities.

"And the third is the enabling environments, and creating the conditions for women to thrive."