Any serious shift towards more sustainable societies has to include gender equality.

Senator Obama will be taking office at a critical juncture. There are many pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global financial crisis and global warming. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama and his team to address these challenges.

Girls can do anything. We do do anything and we expect to be treated as equals.

If you neglect those who are currently poor and stable, you may create more poor and unstable people. There has been a tremendous concentration of donor interest in countries that are seen as particularly fragile - but it becomes harder to mobilise money for sub-Saharan, plain poor countries.

I only take on roles that I'm passionate about.

In terms of having views and being prepared to express them, yes, I think New Zealand's had a leadership role in a lot of things.

Equity, dignity, happiness, sustainability - these are all fundamental to our lives but absent in the GDP.