It appears easier to talk about protecting women than it is to fully include women at all decision-making levels in peace talks and post-conflict planning.

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.

I have come to understand that in order to effectively advance women's rights, we need to galvanize a global women's movement.

I grew up with injustice and could do nothing about it. But once in America, I had freedom of choice.

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

I firmly believe today that the only way to stop violence against women is to speak out and refused to be silenced.

Unfortunately, violence against women is not the only injustice women face globally; it is one of the many inequalities that impede the full development of socially excluded women globally.