Secretary Clinton on Technology, Innovation, Empowering Women

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton:

America’s high-tech leaders are at the heart of what makes this country’s economy great. Your products change the way we live, work, and play. Now I’m asking for your help on a new diplomatic priority: mentoring women entrepreneurs who are ready to help transform their own societies. This program helps women in the United States and throughout the world to create connections that inspire ideas and innovation. Last year, the Department of State connected dozens of women from the Middle East and North Africa with mentors from U.S.-based technology companies to teach them the valuable skills that all of you have. Thanks to the generous support of these companies, TechWomen—from Algiers to Amman—saw first-hand how American women drive innovation as they mapped out a path to create opportunities back home. Now we’re expanding this network to more countries. This year TechWomen will include women from Tunisia and Yemen. We also need more mentors from American tech companies, and that’s where all of you come in. If you’re not already a TechWomen mentor, I hope you’ll consider signing up. I can guarantee you’ll have fun, you’ll meet some amazing people, and—from what I’m told—you might even learn a few things about yourself and your business. And you can help a woman who already has a great idea but just needs that extra bit of guidance or encouragement to launch a new app or start a new business. And ultimately that could mean more jobs and more stable societies, and you know what, that’s good for all of us. Thank you very much.