Earlier this month, I had the chance to attend the Women in the World Summit in New York, hosted by Newsweek and The Daily Beast. For three days, some of the most powerful women (and men) in the world—Hillary Clinton, Christine Lagarde, Madeleine Albright, Sheryl Sandberg, to name a few—gathered to talk about the biggest issues facing women today.
Unfortunately, when you talk about global women's issues, there's a lot to be discouraged by: women are faced with forced marriage in Pakistan, female genital cutting in Africa, human trafficking in South America and Asia, and limitations to their educational, economic, and political opportunities worldwide.
But at the same time, as the event shed light on these atrocities, it also offered hope, optimism, and the power to make change—if we care, if we stand together, and if we take action.
So we're bringing that power to you. Watch these quick videos for snapshots of the world's most powerful women inspiring us to take action, shatter the glass ceiling, and change the world. I wasn't disappointed—and I promise, you won't be either.
1. The Power of Women in Politics
What's the best way to make strides toward improving women's lives? Get more women in political power. This panel discussed just how important it is to elect women to office around the world.
2. Madeleine Albright: Shattering the Glass Ceiling
According to Madeleine Albright, first female U.S. Secretary of State, there’s only one reason there are so few women in power in the world—and you must watch for her snappy response. (Warning if you're watching at work: She says sh*t. And yes, it's amazing.)
3. Christine Lagarde: If Lehman Brothers Had Been "Lehman Sisters"
What would have made all the difference in the financial crisis? Having more women at the table. She's said it before, but it's pretty great to hear it firsthand.
4. Leymah Gbowee: From Victim to Activist
Leymah Gbowee won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for leading Liberian women in a peace movement that eventually brought the end to the country's war. But the advice she gives in this video can be applied to anyone: Take control of your own destiny, and "stop waiting for your knight in shining armor."
5. Lynsey Addario: Changing the Conversation
Acclaimed war photographer Lynsey Addario, who has a 10-week-old baby, was asked by Newsweek and The Daily Beast’s Christopher Dickey a question she gets frequently: Are you going to go back to work? She wasn't amused, but you will be when you hear her response.
6. Envisioning a New Future for Women
In a star-studded panel led by Sheryl Sandberg, Gloria Steinem, Cheryl Mills, Anne Kornblut, Shelby Knox, and Jill Abramson answer what one thing they would do to make a difference for women around the world.
7. Hillary Clinton: A Charge to Us All
Capping off the event was an incredible charge: to the audience, to America, and to women of the world, by the captivating Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.