Melanne Verveer: “Women need to have a voice in the decisionmaking about the future of their country.”

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.

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

This is not the time for the United States to be absent from such an important forum.

It is just wrong that women anywhere are denied access to the same economic opportunities as men.