INVESTING IN WOMEN, ENRICHING THE WORLD

Investing in women and girls is one of the most highly leveraged investments that a developing country can make to ensure its future economic prosperity. Substantial evidence shows that investing in women has been a key driver for economic growth, essential for ensuring food security, responsible for reducing child malnutrition, and important for lowering the risk of HIV/AIDS infection. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Melanne Verveer – a leader and champion of the rights of women and girls around the world for nearly two decades – to serve as the first ever ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues. The appointment reflects the elevated importance of global women’s issues to the President and his administration. Ambassador Melanne Verveer discussed the Obama administration’s stance on women and girls as a critical U.S. foreign policy issue. 

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Verveer Event Audio (75.7MB, MP3)