Quotes by

Michelle Bachelet

Womens strength, womens industry, womens wisdom are humankinds greatest untapped resource. The challenge then for U.N. Women is to show our diverse constituencies how this resource can be effectively tapped in ways that benefit us all. – Michelle Bachelet

Violence against women in all its forms is a human rights violation. Its not something that any culture, religion or tradition propagates. – Michelle Bachelet

As a doctor, when I was minister of health and would go somewhere, little girls would come up to me and say, I want to be like you one day, I want to be a doctor. Now, they tell me, I want to be president just like you. All of us can dream as big as we want. – Michelle Bachelet

There is no city or country in the world where women and girls live free of the fear of violence. No leader can claim: this is not happening in my backyard. – Michelle Bachelet

Theres full consensus in the military that women shouldnt be in person-to-person combat. I dont know if we have enough experience to know whether this is the right approach. But women can be elsewhere. We have mandatory military service in Chile. I pushed for women in all areas. – Michelle Bachelet

Educational equality doesnt guarantee equality on the labor market. Even the most developed countries are not gender-equal. There are still glass ceilings and leaky pipelines that prevent women from getting ahead in the workplace. – Michelle Bachelet

One of the factors a countrys economy depends on is human capital. If you dont provide women with adequate access to healthcare, education and employment, you lose at least half of your potential. So, gender equality and womens empowerment bring huge economic benefits. – Michelle Bachelet

In todays interdependent world, a threat to one becomes a menace to all. And no state can defeat these challenges and threats alone. – Michelle Bachelet

The respect for human rights is nowadays not so much a matter of having international standards, but rather questions of compliance with those standards. – Michelle Bachelet

As a vibrant force in civil society, women continue to press for their rights, equal participation in decision-making, and the upholding of the principles of the revolution by the highest levels of leadership in Egypt. – Michelle Bachelet

I took a gamble to exercise leadership without losing my feminine nature. – Michelle Bachelet

People see I am a mother and head of a household. Today in Chile, one-third of households are run by women. They wake up, take the children to school, go to work. To them I am hope. – Michelle Bachelet

Given political history in Chile, it seemed to me that there was a critical task of consolidating a democracy and creating healthy civic-military and political-military relationships. – Michelle Bachelet

We simply can no longer afford to deny the full potential of one half of the population. The world needs to tap into the talent and wisdom of women. Whether the issue is food security, economic recovery, health, or peace and security, the participation of women is needed now more than ever. – Michelle Bachelet

The 2010 global gender gap report by the World Economic Forum shows that countries with better gender equality have faster-growing, more competitive economies. – Michelle Bachelet

Gender equality will only be reached if we are able to empower women. – Michelle Bachelet

I was not born in a home where there were stereotypes. So that was very useful because it gave me the sense of possibilities, of flying, if I may say, of making my hopes and dreams a reality. – Michelle Bachelet