Women have never been a chief negotiator in any UN-sponsored talks.

Only 8 percent of peace talks have included women at any level.

As women, we must speak out, speak up, say no to our inheritance of loss and yes to a future of women-led dialogue about women's rights and value.

Growing up under Saddam's rule, I witnessed many injustices occurring everyday in my country and yet I could not do anything to prevent them.

Stronger women build stronger nations.

If half the society isn't engaged on any number of sectors, success and potential will be limited. In that sense, I do definitely believe there is a growing movement and moment for women's issues.

It seems to me that violence against women has been tolerated for so long that the world has become numb to it.