Women must play an integral role in all the world's issues or humanity's challenges will never be solved. We must not forget our strength, our power, and our historical accomplishments. In France, I have seen the statues of justice and liberty, and they are women. Women are leaders. And common sense tells us that true democracy is not possible without the full participation of women.
Greater participation translates into richer democracy and more representative policies.
And in those regions where democracy makes the greatest difference for peace, women are hard at work creating and expanding the institutions for freedom. I have seen in Bosnia, for example, the efforts of women's groups to heal the wounds of ethnic division. The women of that country are determined to build a society in which they, who have paid a fearful price for wrong decisions in the past, will have a role in making the right decisions in the future. That is their goal. It is a goal shared by my fellow Americans far and wide.