Every woman must own her story; otherwise we are all part of the silence.

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.

Where has change ever been clean and nice? It has always been messy and painful.

Women still need higher political representation and to be included at decision making tables in all issues in order for solutions that relates from peace to food, to health, to basic stability in the world. We cannot continue to marginalize half of the population in the world in finding sustainable solutions that are good for all.

While women may look different, as some wear suits and others wear saris, or some cover their hair while others wear their hair loose, women need to stand together because they all face the central point of discrimination, although the extremity of which may be different from Kigali to Kabul.

Living in war is a co- existence with death.

From joblessness to lack of education and professional skills to sexual and gender-based violence, women face a multi-faceted oppression.