Unfortunately it is a minority group. Sa unit but those first few days what was that like . Like i never had before but it was unbearable it was a throbbing pain plus a sore throat. And wouldnt wish that on anybody was that the first time two years ago people at the university new . They were probably surprised. Because it tried to act like everybody else. My family was surprised. By philip, which i put the wool over their eyes which i did. Host jerry apps limping through life a farm boys polio memoir booktv on cspan2. Good evening. I am honored to be here tonight for those who leave tonights discussion. The topic is close to my heart i am often asked to comment what it is like to be a woman in the industry what it is like to be a woman and a leader in what are those experiences i draw upon . It is things i have read a and people that i have met a is all about the storytelling with the power of a great story so many women are doing so many important things whether policy or business or education. If we have those Diverse Voices we can change the way we looked in the future. Fast forward is how women can achieve power and purpose it is harnessing the power of storytelling about the trail blazing of corporate space and beyond. Im happy we can produce the book. In the in 2009 president obama appointed her as the firstever embassador for global womens issues. Cofounder of vital voices. Kim is also a founder and a cofounder of the Cornell Law School label Global Center for women in justice. And held senior positions at newsweek and avon it and goldman sachs. Moderate and reintroducing a lecturer at Harvard University is quite the icon in journalism. As the first woman to serve as the bureau chief she spent nine years at the wall street journal to cover money and politics the author of three books that she coauthored with genes were excited to have the opportunity to have these women here tonight. On behalf of the Kennedy Library foundation i would introduce the forum in the whole institute and the foundations media partners. Were also knowledge the mass womens forum we hope you enjoy the evening. Before we start we will have a short video. Thank you. Were at a point today where we know women are the agents of change around the world. With the majority of the work force in the breadwinners they have truant and 20 trillion of purchasing power. Increasingly use their power for purpose to redefine what power means that. And then to gain power to lead to more satisfactory to translate that into a purpose. It is my duty and my obligation it by privilege for other women. I think it is important you have to develop a cadre of people around you to face the challenges you face. Without a limited potential to release it all in perspective for our world. Know your old power. For those in sheer passion in your goals. [applause] going to begin just by thinking thanks to the library to host this event to focus on women with their power in purpose is to say i am thrilled a large group of students here and how you can find your power. To give some background. And tell us the secret. Everybody should know as one of the great journalists of our time. And one of the greatest female journalists. To respect which she has come to achieve it what it is like to walk in her office to be inspired. You are someone who is fast for did to the next generation. [applause] also by introducing our evening is the first woman to run the company soulfully other progress will not take as long. And for the Kennedy Library to really been my inspiration. And i often feel for many to ask not what your country can do for you to really inspire a whole generation so to talk about how we fastforward is why the book . I have had many years of opportunities to work around the world. With the private sector and added that is the accumulation but when i first met kim spanning two generations at the time that invested in emerging women leaders. For this as part of the state department that Hillary Clinton had a major role. The women around the globe say you cannot into this. We need to come together and have the opportunities to see the possibility. And i was raising many i went to a fallen avon and that the corporate secretary who was close to the head of the company i started to tell her i thought Companies Like avon had mostly women employees should not be doing this work as a charity or philanthropy but as part of their brand. And she completely agreed. And they said she is one of us. So coming out of the Corporate Legal sector actually brought several perspectives together but were working interest in dance women and girls in a very integrated way. Did both of us have met Extraordinary People men and women who have been a part of this. We also did 60 additional interviews. To really understand the with the breakthrough is happening today and that is the predicate for the book which is we have a chance today, far more women in positions of responsibility of every level, is is still hard . Yes. But we have come a long way. We have evidence based case when investing in women and girls of dividends for social progress put but from the World Economic forum to Many Companies producing Massive Research data and to be connected through a technological breakthrough so if you care about evincing womens and girls issues because of flooded means for each person and world you should fast for the progress if we understand each of us has power and kind our purpose is to connect with others and then make the interest difference. One of the things i love about your book it is big picture in a lot of ways the wrenching stories of women around the world and the girls. I was very moved with a friend of the book of the attacks of women around the world dew line sharing that story . It is such a of pleasure to be here. It is one thing so thanks for being here with us. So that story sums up the of book but a really changed my life. Then she was six weeks old who was doused with acid well breastfeeding with her mother in cambodia there is a marital dispute of some sort of a woman wanted to move bin to her mothers home with a father in the child she was having an affair and the mother said no. She kept coming back every day the woman went to the market and bought acid in thread on them the child was blinded. The mother lost part of her ears and i was working at avon in the direct selling model. I was not new to these types of issues. But we had an ocular Plastic Surgeon operating as a volunteer. There is a whole ward of victims mostly women is because they want to steal their duty. He was talking about this issue and i went to a panel like this i walked in thinking of North Carolina anecdotes in my whole perspective changed how could there be a baby doused with acid and no penalty . I a lawyer but i cannot believe there was no penalty the perpetrator was out and about. I felt they could use my platform for something. But this child creates a Ripple Effect a lot of it is due to the doctor he galvanized a group of people surgeons and volunteers i could bring resources everybody to the un. I tried to get someone to cover the issue we cannot get one reporter there. We did get one. For but nobody was interested. But as a result little by little through the end of the story Justice Oconnor heard about the story it became a Ripple Effect. Is like a precursor. What is amazing i thought i was helping sophie and we could change the laws in cambodia in significant things happened but all of us get so much more out of it it told me how i changed my work and life. We talked about the data of why investing women and girls makes incredible sense but the data on how to have a meaningful life. That creates level of meaning you cannot feel any other way. Selfie was the beginning of that journey for me. An amazing story. Cheryl sandberg that you know, from reading her book and is a major executive at facebook worked with mackenzie with women in the workplace and the introduction to the study was written by cheryl. She pointed out you could send a woman into space to have her or a bit jupiter 10 times in return to earth into a still take many decades for women to achieve parity in our society here in the United States and around the world. You said you grew up in the womens movement. But i am taken by the title of your book because cheryl makes the point that pace in every arena there is a stall like windrows rose but then they are half of this guy or more than half of the population it is a relatively small percentage hell can we get that back contract . Bernie mac plus. We know we cannot move forward there was a study that says that that rate women elected to our own congress it would take 100 years to reach parity that is too long to wait to bring those talents to public policy. You could call it the Glass Ceiling or the sticky floor or a thick layer of men. [laughter] it is hard to get through. But we try to lay this out. We are plagued by any challenges in the United States as well as women that our further behind in its past to do with the range of challenges including culture and political will and that is why the evidence based case makes such a difference. What i would go in to meet with ministers and leaders to say how nice. But usually they got the message to talk about these issues that are not the issues of the day but critical to outcome. But if i say i wish we could see you can grow your economy than the conversation changed. To put in his selfinterest. There was a realization it is their own interest of creating more Profitable Companies that women are essential to make that happen. Is similarly we cannot have prosperity if they are not part of the solutions. You make the point to have women in all ranks of the organization is smart business. That you tell many success stories. It has taken too much time and it is absolutely true that inspires most of us but fundamentally about human in womens rights. A lot of the book focuses on smart is strategic so were not waiting 100 years and we dont have to go to jupiter to move forward. There was a Study Released the last couple days the representative of the Human Rights Council and there are no surprises but it isnt a pretty picture to be the only industrialized country without paid maternity leave. We still lose 0. 23 on every dollar. If you are struggling whose work is essential it is bad enough you dont have quality but imagine losing 0. 23 of every dollar. Or the fact we have so many women in the workplace the great majority children under one and a hodgepodge of child care we have not made this an issue. Whether it is the unfinished agenda, clearly we have to do better and we believe our collective action to or our rehearsals with the dated case to utilize the power that every woman has in the men who share a commitment to progress and get to a better place. It is an optimistic book. We are at a unique place in time