The 100 Women Initiative is built on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's vision of "smart power." Smart power embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools—in this case international exchanges—to bring people together and foster greater understanding among people and cultures.

To mark the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day in 2011, the U.S. Department of State brought 100 women leaders from 92 countries to the United States for a special International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project focused on women's empowerment.

Throughout the year and into 2012, the IVLP has continued projects focused on women's rights and issues. For example, 40 international women attended Secretary Clinton's Women in Public Service Project and 44 more attended a Breast Cancer Global Congress in partnership with the Avon Foundation.

Success Stories: One Year Later

The 100 women hailed from every region of the globe and are leaders in academia, business, civil society, government, law enforcement, media, and the private sector. For three weeks, the 100 women participated in a host of activities—from meetings with senior leaders of the U.S. government to engaging with local community leaders who work on similar issues in small and large cities across the United States.

One year later, several of the women who participated in the 100 Women project provided updates of their activities on behalf of women in their countries since their IVLP experience. Here are a few of their accomplishments:

Ishraq Alsubaee, Yemen
Chairperson National Commission for Women
"Despite all the challenges that we face in our society, we are working to support and strengthen the community's role in the transition process of the country. We started a community building project in the province of Shabwa to support young people and to contribute to their development."

Kiki Stinnett, Federated States of Micronesia
Local Business Owner & Community Leader
"My inclusion and participation in the IVLP 100 Women project was a practical education, and eye opening experience, in what other women around the world have endured and overcome to help their communities and other women improve their lives. While we are from different parts of the world, we share the same challenges and the time spent with these women encouraged me to work harder in my own country."

"My greatest accomplishment since returning from the IVLP was to complete the Shinobu M. Poll Memorial Center, a women's interest and wellness facility. Other noteworthy accomplishments have been improved collaboration between our Chuuk Women's Council and our partners, donors and government agencies and has strengthened our efforts relating to existing grants which total over $300,000 in areas to include reproductive health and TB, non communicable diseases, domestic violence, sex worker activity and counseling, conservation and environment and Adopt-A-School projects. Our most recent accomplishment is the approval of a Vital Voice Emerging Pacific Women's Leadership Program Proposal to conduct a Women in Business Network Program."

Nidhi Tewari, India
CEO at Democracy Connect
"The IVLP experience, possibly for the first time, made me look at myself as a woman leader.  I have been working toward transforming Indian politics and democracy for the past five years. I have worked with politicians over the years, wanting to change them through knowledge and training. When I started, I did stand in the context of understanding, empathy and service as I associated with parliamentarians. But over the years, cynicism and judgment took its place. As I accept the woman in me more completely, I can see that the only way to change the other is through loving and accepting them, just as they are. I can see what’s missing in our politics is love, compassion, sharing and dialogue— all the things that I associate with women or more generally the feminine style of leadership."