Arianna Huffington, Ashley Judd, Helen Clark, Michelle Bachelet, Valerie JarrettWomen Deliver 2010
I'm currently in Washington D.C., attending the Women Deliver conference, bringing together leaders from around the world to discuss issues pertaining to women's reproductive and sexual rights, family planning and gender equality.
The first day has set the bar high, with one powerful woman after another taking to the stage to talk about the importance of meeting the MDG 5 and reducing maternal deaths.
Hillary Clinton was even present via recorded video, while on stage Christiane Amanpour led the first panel which South African singer Yvonne Chaca Chaca concluded with her powerful voice.
Lunch was in company of Melinda Gates, who announced the Gates Foundation's commitment of $1.5 billion over the next five years on maternal and children's health.
The afternoon's Women & Power panel was composed of Hollywood actress and PSI ambassador Ashley Judd, former Chile President and Women Deliver co-chair Michelle Bachelet, UNDP Director Helen Clark, Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett - and moderated by Arianna Huffington.
Some fun quotes included Valerie Jarrett insisting President Obama "is as close to a woman president we've ever gotten"; Ashley Judd demonstrating Jessica's Daily Affirmation; Arianna Huffington declaring "I can speak on behalf of all on the panel that we LOVE men" (after a woman in the audience felt offended that men had been left out of the discussion); and Michelle Bachelet sharing the anecdote from Finland's female president Tarja Halonen who went to visit a school and asked a little boy if he would like to be president one day, to which he replied "well you know, in this country, men can't be president"!
The conference is inspiring and feels like an international sisterhood of sorts. That said, men have been invited to join in on the conversation (we can't do it without them!) and are proving to be just as passionate in the fight for women's equality. Highlights on the men's side today included UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who has been committed to moving women to higher positions within the UN, and Women Deliver co-chair Fred Sai who was introduced as "the godfather of the women's health movement".
To watch the live webcast and archives online: http://womendeliver.org/webcast
