Melanne Verveer: “They have literally taken their lives in their hands to get it because of the threat to them every single day.”

During the revolutions, women in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya were on the front lines for freedom, dignity, democracy, and economic opportunity.

Women and girls are powerful and we know what happens when that power and potential are unleashed--communities thrive, local and global communities grow, societies prosper and become more inclusive and equitable.

These values are strongly supported by the American public, and U.S. law, as I believe all have said, is consistent with the principles set out in CEDAW.

Our failure to ratify has denied women and girls around the world U.S. leadership on the implementation of CEDAW.