During my first week as the United States’ Secretary of State, I had the honor of meeting with a group of courageous women from Burma. Two were former political prisoners, and although they had all endured incredible hardship in their lives, each of them was committed to moving forward – providing education and training to girls, finding jobs for the unemployed, and advocating for greater participation in civil society. I have no doubt that they will continue to be powerful agents of change, bringing progress to their communities and their country in the years to come.  It’s opportunities like this that remind us why it is so vital that the United States continues to work with governments, organizations, and individuals around the world to protect and advance the rights of women and girls. After all, just like in our own country, the world's most pressing economic, social, and political problems simply cannot be solved without the full participation of women. 

According to the World Economic Forum, countries where men and women are closer to enjoying equal rights are far more economically competitive than those where the gender gap has left women and girls with limited or no access to medical care, education, elected office, and the marketplace. Similarly, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that if women farmers had the same access to seeds, fertilizer, and technology as men do, they could reduce the number of undernourished people in the world by between 100 million and 150 million.  [Link]