Vital Voices shares the unforgettable triumphs and struggles of women who are changing our world. In this powerful account, Alyse Nelson takes us on a 17-year journey around the world, beginning with the watershed moment at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, when then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton boldly proclaimed for the first time to the world that "women's rights are human rights." From there a United States government initiative was founded on the belief that when women progress, whole societies move forward. Since then, Vital Voices has grown into a global movement that today transcends national, cultural, economic, and political divides.
From the mothers of Northern Ireland who came together to end violence, to entrepreneurs creating economic opportunity in Haiti, Vital Voices shares a transformative model of leadership taking hold around the world. With the story of Vital Voices, Nelson offers compelling accounts of brave, visionary women willing to risk everything to improve the lives of those around them.
Featuring first-person accounts from former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet, Nigerian Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer, designer Diane von Furstenberg, and actor Sally Field, Vital Voices brings together leaders who boldly redefine the concept of power in their pursuit of a better world.
Their voices and vision for progress--shared here for the first time--are deeply authentic and essential reading for anyone looking to make a difference in our world.