The Wilson Center and Jane Harman Welcome The Council of Women World Leaders

The Council of Women World Leaders has moved to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Jane Harman, director, president, and CEO of The Wilson Center made the announcement today at a reception featuring remarks by Her Excellency Tarja Halonen, president of Finland and chair of the Council of Women World Leaders; Reem Al-Hashimy, minister of State, United Arab Emirates; the Honorable Margot Wallstrom, chair of the Ministerial Initiative of the Council of Women World Leaders; and the Honorable Melanne Verveer, ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State.

“As the first president of The Wilson Center who happens to be a woman, I am delighted to welcome the Council of Women World Leaders to our excellent programing,” said Jane Harman. “The Council is doing some of the most important work to close gender gaps globally and ensure that every woman’s talent and potential is maximized. The Wilson Center is the ideal place to host the Council and is committed to help it continue to grow and thrive.”

The Council of Women World Leaders is a global network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers that seeks to mobilize the highest-level women leaders for collective action on issues of critical importance to women. Established in 1996 by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, President of Iceland (1980-1996) and the world’s first woman to be democratically elected president, and Laura Liswood, Secretary General, the Council now has 46 members and is represented on six continents. In recent years, it was housed at the Aspen Institute with which it will retain ties. 

Read more at The Council of Women World Leaders.