NEW DELHI, India – I arrived here in the middle of the night, greeted by the chaos at the sprawling Indira Gandhi International Airport.

I take the 45-minute ride to the Taj Palace Hotel, right in the heart of the capital, and see the impoverished parts of the city. Street children sleeping on the cold pavement, slums and beggars abound.

I wonder what I can do? I wonder how my presence here – a speck in this vast universe – could actually help.

I arrive in my hotel and prepare for the following day’s activity.

I am here for the Vital Voices of Asia Women’s Leadership and Training Summit, a conference that aims to strengthen a powerful network of regional women leaders across sectors and cultures.

The summit opened here Monday, with an infectious energy emanating throughout the huge conference hall.

I have never been in such a huge gathering of women, comprising of strong, empowered leaders and needless to say, gorgeous, too.

One speech immediately caught my attention.

She spoke sternly and passionately and the center of her talk is Millennium Development Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.

In an elegant fuchsia colored top, US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer reminded the audience that the world still falls short on achieving MDG 3.

“Next week the heads of state will be gathering in New York for the MDGs.  It was 10 years ago when nations of the world adopted these targets for reducing poverty by 2015.  While we are making strides in some areas, we are still falling short on the gender equality MDG 3,” she says.

Verveer says achieving MDG3 is critical to the realization of all other MDGs.

“Yet addressing gender equality remains one of the most difficult goals,” she says.

She reminded everyone that women need appropriate training, access to credit and access to financing.

“Another area is in climate change. Women are the primary users of water and energy. The effects of climate change affect women most severely and endanger their livelihoods,” she says.

Verveer, however, is quick to remind us all that women are not just victims.

“Women are not just victims, they are critical actors. They have the power to improve their lives,” she says.

As such, she urged each and everyone in the room to help others who do not have the ability to raise their voices.

“You’re voices are so vital to create a better life for women and men for girls and boys,” she says.

Indeed, that’s how we can help. That’s how we can all help, even if we are just tiny specks in this great big world.  Let’s keep making our voices heard.

Namaste!

(Feature photo by the Gate of India taken by Vyke Roaring, Philippine Trade Attache to India; US Ambassador Verveer photo by the author)