About Vital Voices

"We know that we cannot build the kind of future we want without the contributions of women. And we know that around the world, women will only be able to contribute to our full potential if we have equal access, equal rights, equal protection and a fair chance at the levers of economic and political power. Advancing the status of women is the right thing to do; and, frankly, it is the smart thing to do."
- Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
Message to the Vital Voices Vienna: Women in Democracy Conference, July, 1997

Vital Voices is an ongoing global initiative which implements U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's commitment to promote the advancement of women as a U.S. foreign policy objective. This initiative enjoys the active support of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Vital Voices is creating unprecedented partnerships among governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to support the full participation of women in the economic, social, and political progress of their countries.

Vital Voices is building a network of people throughout the world who support full participatory democracies and economic prosperity.

Vital Voices conferences launch regional initiatives to give citizens in emerging democracies and countries in transition the skills, tools, and resources they need to empower themselves, their communities and their countries.

The Director of the Vital Voices Global Democracy Initiative is Theresa Loar, Director of the President's Interagency Council on Women. The Deputy Director of the Vital Voices Global Democracy Initiative is Alyse Nelson. To contact the Vital Voices office at the U.S. Department of State please e-mail us at: vitalvoices@hotmail.com.