Angelina Jolie Takes the Stage
Cue the standing ovation: the Hollywood star turned U.N. ambassador read the account of Dr. Hawa Abdi, a 2011 Women in the World delegate who was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Abdi has housed thousands of displaced people in her clinic in Somalia since 1983.
Christine Lagarde: If Lehman Brothers Had Been ‘Lehman Sisters’
Maybe she was kidding, maybe she wasn’t. Responding to Niall Ferguson’s question about whether there would have been a financial crisis had more women been in senior positions, Christine Lagarde got the laugh of the first night when she (jokingly?) said “Lehman Sisters” might have avoided default.
The Role of Mothers and Grandmothers in Forced Marraige
It may seem unlikely that mothers and grandmothers play a pivotal role in forcing many of the world’s women into unwanted marriages. But that’s the point Albert David, M.B.E., and Jasvinder Sanghera make to Leslie Stahl: that mothers invest in their daughters the responsibility of upholding the family’s honor.
Madeleine Albright on Shattering the Glass Ceiling
There’s only one reason there are so few women in power, according to Madeleine Albright: “Men,” she said in one of Thursday evening’s lighter moments.
Dalia Ziada: For Women, the Arab Spring in Egypt Was “Heaven”
Women didn’t just play a role in protests during the Arab Spring—they began fighting for rights far in advance. Dalia Ziada, the Egypt director of the American Islamic Congress, told Andrew Sullivan that the 18 days of revolution in the country “heaven,” thanks to the diverse group of protesters who answered the call to arms.
Nancy Pelosi: Limbaugh Should Be ‘Advertiseless’
What happens now that the talk-radio host is shedding advertisers for his comments over reproductive rights? In the wake of Sandra Fluke’s showdown, the first female majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives said women shouldn’t have to continue to fight for reproductive rights in this day and age.
How Does Forced Prostitution Happen?
How are South American teenage girls forced to become slaves to prostitution rings? And how do they escape? Watch the harrowing account of a young woman who was forced to become a prostitute—and how she escaped.
Valerie Jarrett Responds to the ‘Mancovery’
If the U.S. experienced a “mancession,” does that mean it’s experiencing a “mancovery”? President Obama’s senior adviser touted his jobs record and discussed the difficulty in assessing whether or not the recovery has been gendered.
Rape in the Military: a Firsthand Account
The topic: the vulnerability of military women to sexual assault – especially in remote areas – and the re-victimization that occurs when cases are poorly investigated prosecuted. Watch as Claire Russo shares her personal story of attempting to prosecute her perpetrator after she was raped as a Marine. Warning: her story is graphic.
Meryl Streep Hails Hillary Clinton
She’s won Oscars and played world leaders, but now she can cross hugging the Secretary of State off her list. Meryl Streep paid tribute to Clinton, praising the Secretary for her tireless work on behalf of women. Bonus: Streep’s latest Oscar hardware made a cameo.
Hillary Clinton: Women Should Be Able to Make Their Own Choices
Why do extremists—in every country—want to control women? The Secretary of State said the U.S. needs to live its own values because “America needs to set an example for the entire world.” Watch Clinton’s rousing call for change.
The Tiger Mother’s Guide to Life
Firebrand Amy Chua has one piece of advice for Chinese parents—and if you’ve read Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, it might come as a surprise. The controversial author told the audience that she encourages Asian parents to let their children have sleepovers.
Leymah Gbowee: ‘It’s Time for Women to Stop Being Politely Angry’
Gbowee brought down the house with her take on the contraception wars. In short, she summed it up best with “you only qualify [to make decisions about reproductive rights] if you’ve gone through the process, if you understand what the process is.”
Holland Taylor as Gov. Ann Richards
Broadway star Holland Taylor took the Women in the World stage to perform an excerpt from her one-woman show about former Texas Governor Ann Richards. Watch as Taylor channels the fiery Richards to imagine what she would have said if she were here today.
Lynsey Addario: ‘Do You Ask Men That Question?’
The war photographer took Newsweek and The Daily Beast’s Christopher Dickey to task after he asked her about leaving her 10-week-old baby to report. And, he agreed: her response was fair.