Obama Ends Overseas Trip by Honoring Saudi Women

[cali]

President Obama ended his weeklong trip to Europe and Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning with a brief private ceremony in which he offered a Women of Courage award to a Saudi women who works to prevent domestic violence in the kingdom.

The brief event, just hours before Mr. Obama boarded Air Force One to return home, came a day after the president chose not to raise the issue of human rights during a two-hour discussion with King Abdullah.

The award, which is given by the United States Secretary of State every year, honors women around the world “who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, often at great personal risk,” according to the State Department’s website.

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The president’s decision not to discuss human rights or women’s rights with the king in his meeting is sure to disappoint activists who have long been critical of the kingdom’s treatment of women.

White House officials defended Mr. Obama’s decision, saying that the meeting with the king was designed as a way for the two leaders to discuss the security issues in the region, including the nuclear negotiations with Iran and the ongoing Syrian civil war.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/world/middleeast/obama-saudi-arabia.html?_r=0

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Picture of the event

:medium

Obama honours woman activist on Saudi visit
Maha is a recipient of this year’s women of courage awards


US President Barack Obama presents the executive director of Saudi Arabia's National Family Safety Programme Maha Al Muneef with the US Secretary of State's International Woman of Courage Award in Riyadh March 29, 2014.


Maha received the award for her accomplishments in combating domestic violence and child abuse.



Riyadh: US President Barack Obama met a Saudi women’s rights activist on Saturday, the same day women have pledged to defy a driving ban, as he wrapped up a reassurance visit to the longtime ally.

Maha founded the National Family Safety Programme in 2005 to campaign against domestic violence in Saudi Arabia where activists have long demanded an end to the “absolute authority” over women of their male guardians.


this is from Gulf news which has a longer story on it.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/obama-honours-woman-activist-on-saudi-visit-1.1310055

[Bluenorthwest]

2. From the Vatican to The Kingdom, a tour of sexist, homophobic leaders which 'honors'

the targets of bigotry with silence about the bigotry. How very Third Way.

[cali]

3. ironic. and yes, I agree about the Vatican visit.