"Young women have no idea how hard women of my generation had to work to break into so many fields. After earning my Ph.D. at Harvard, the 14 other students in my class, all of whom were men went into Government Jobs at a GS14. At my State Department Job in the Government Accountability office I was told, "There are no women at GS14." and was demoted to a GS13. A year later they said, "You have now been promoted to a GS14." And I said, "No. I was always a GS14 now you finally re-instated me." - Rosemary Staley is a former State Department Officer, Peace Corps Country Director in Cameroon, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and the National Coordinator of the Hillary Support Network.
Nana Fosu-Randall
"I was in Liberia right after the war, working for the United Nations, and I saw this girl who had no hands. The girl was maybe 13 years old and she was sitting in a chair with a baby in her lap. I couldn't believe it - I had been working for the United Nations for many decades and had seen the aftermath of war in Lebanon, Kuwait, Iraq and Israel but this was different. Maybe because Liberia is very close to Ghana, where I am from, seeing that girl changed my world. I wondered how is she going to care for herself, how can she ever clean herself with no hands. When I returned to the United States I knew I had to address the turmoil in Africa and I started my organization, Voices of African Mothers in order to address poverty and hunger and to educate women." - Nana Fuso-Randall is the founder and President of Voices of African Mothers.
Alya Almuzaini
"An empowered woman empowers society. It is a big responsibility being a woman and being a mother. Women need to be supported with their children, with their family and with their work. Before all the diplomats were men. Then there were female diplomats but until 2002 female diplomats from Kuwait were not places in international roles. A woman may face injustice at any stage of life. And we need to promote our rights more than men have too. I am proud that I am a woman and even prouder that I have reached my goals despite gender challenges." Alya is the 8th female diplomat from Kuwait that has been sent to another country and has been working at the United Nations headquarters since 2011 and will return to Kuwait this summer. She is also the mother of four children.