World leaders gather for women's conference

VILNIUS -- Women leaders from all over the world have gathered for a historic conference in Vilnius on the importance of the role women play in improving democracy.

Around 130 most prominent and active women from over 40 countries of the world took part in the conference, which was titled ‘Women Enhancing Democracy: Best Practices'.

"We are not talking about men's and women's rights. We are talking about women's input and capacities to contribute actively to the well-being of the state and people. The fact that 12 states have women as presidents and 12 have women as prime ministers demonstrates that more and more women assume responsibility even at most economically and politically challenging times," the President of Lithuania said in a joint press conference with Finland's President Tarja Halonen.

The conference was organized by Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Finnish President Tarja Halonen, and attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva, President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga, President of Mongolia Elbegdorj Tsakhia, and many more high profile guests.

"Just look at Lithuania today -- it has not only conducted a very successful chairmanship of the Community of Democracies but it is setting a high standard to the rest of us -- a female president, a female speaker of parliament, a female finance minister and a female defence minister," Clinton said.

IMMENSE IMPORTANCE

Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius after the event said that the participation of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was of "immense importance".

"The US’s support through the whole 21 years of our independence, including our aspirations to become a NATO member, an EU member, to create our security, develop economic ties, energy independence, all these ties remain very important, and, of course, a conversation with Secretary of State Clinton in this respect is of immense importance," he said in an interview with News Radio.