I believe that if you want to fight inequality you have to do it starting at infancy.

The 2010 global gender gap report by the World Economic Forum shows that countries with better gender equality have faster-growing, more competitive economies.

There's full consensus in the military that women shouldn't be in person-to-person combat. I don't know if we have enough experience to know whether this is the right approach. But women can be elsewhere. We have mandatory military service in Chile. I pushed for women in all areas.

My top priority for 2012 will be to make a renewed push for women's economic empowerment and political participation.

Given political history in Chile, it seemed to me that there was a critical task of consolidating a democracy and creating healthy civic-military and political-military relationships.

The priority for my government is that there will be development for everyone, equally.

You have to be doing things that matter - responsibility, but also responsibility with epic and beautiful and noble tasks.