How women around the world are leading powerful change Women's progress is global progress. Where there is an increase in women's university enrollment rates, women's earnings, and maternal health, and a reduction in violence against women, we see more prosperous communities, better educated, healthier families, and the preservation of equal human rights. Yet globally, women remain the most consistently under-utilized resource. Vital Voices calls for and makes possible transformative leadership around the world. In Vital Voices, CEO Alyse Nelson shares the stories of remarkable, world-changing women, as well as the story of how Vital Voices was founded, crossing lines that typically divide. For 15 years, Vital Voices has brought together women who want to enable others to become change agents in their governments, advocates for social justice, and supporters of democracy. They equip women with management and business development skills to expand their enterprises and create jobs in their communities. Their voices, stories, and hard-earned lessons shared here for the first time are deeply authentic and truly vital. Features interviews and first-person accounts of global leaders, such as Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, and Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize-winning Burmese pro-democracy leader, as well as business leaders Draws on the work of the Vital Voices, the organization founded by Hillary Clinton in 1997 as a government initiative that transformed into a leading non-profit, which enables a network of 10,000 emerging women leaders in politics, human rights, and economic development in 127 countries. These women have gone on to mentor and train more than 500,000 Focuses on the key elements of the Vital Voices five-step model of transformational leadership, including how to find a voice, lead with purpose, cross lines that divide, and more Through the firsthand accounts of trail-blazing leaders, Vital Voices introduces unforgettable, inspiring women who are shaping our world.

How women around the world are leading powerful changeWomen's progress is global progress. Where there is an increasein women's university enrollment rates, women's earnings, andmaternal health, and a reduction in violence against women, we seemore prosperous communities, better educated, healthier familiesand the preservation of equal human rights. Yet globally, womenremain the most consistently under-utilized resource. VitalVoices calls for and makes possible transformative leadershiparound the world.In Vital Voices, CEO Alyse Nelson shares the stories ofremarkable, world-changing women, as well as the story of how VitalVoices was founded, crossing lines that typically divide. For 15years, Vital Voices has brought together women who want to enableothers to become change agents in their governments, advocates forsocial justice, and supporters of democracy. They equip women withmanagement and business development skills to expand theirenterprises and create jobs in their communities. Their voicesstories, and hard-earned lessons--shared here for the firsttime--are deeply authentic and truly vital.* Features interviews and first-person accounts of globalleaders, such as Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, andAung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize-winning Burmese pro-democracy leaderas well as business leaders* Draws on the work of the Vital Voices, the organization foundedby Hillary Clinton in 1997 as a government initiative thattransformed into a leading non-profit, which enables a network of10,000 emerging women leaders in politics, human rights, andeconomic development in 127 countries. These women have gone on tomentor and train more than 500,000* Focuses on the key elements of the Vital Voices five-step modelof transformational leadership, including how to find a voice, leadwith purpose, cross lines that divide, and moreThrough the firsthand accounts of trail-blazing leadersVital Voices introduces unforgettable, inspiring women whoare shaping our world.

Foreword ixby the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Founder, Vital VoicesIntroduction xiii1 A Driving Force or Sense of Mission 1Introduced by the Honorable Michelle Bachelet2 Strong Roots in the Community 39Introduced by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala3 An Ability to Connect Across Lines That Divide 83Introduced by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison4 Bold Ideas and Bold Action 125Introduced by Diane von Furstenberg5 Paying it Forward 171Introduced by Ambassador Melanne VerveerConclusion: Leadership is a Journey, Not a Destination 207Introduced by Sally FieldAfterword 223by Susan Ann Davis and Bobbie Greene McCarthy, Chair and Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Vital VoicesAdditional Information on the Women Featured in Vital Voices 225Notes 239Acknowledgments 251About the Author 263Index 265