Women are being discovered, women are being celebrated, a lot of people are starting to know about these women that are doing wonders in our country.

I think at the moment we really are on the cusp of potentially a major change, and I'm quite optimistic about not just all the women we see rising to the top, but also all the young women coming up who will fill those jobs in the future toward gender parity.

Just the fact that so many people around the world are showing their interest puts me in a good mood.

We are opening doors into the academic world for more women, and in itself that makes me feel good.

There are a lot of qualified persons in the country, with women not being an exception. It is a positive thing that should be encouraged.

It's encouraging to see that women are fighting against so many different barriers to participate because they know what their participation means for other girls that are marginalised.

There are a lot of opportunities for women; the world is focusing on women. So, by now, I do not expect any woman or young girl to complain of not being given an opportunity because there are a lot of opportunities out there for all young girls and women in the world as we speak; all we need to do is to find opportunities and grab them.

We hope she will continue to be an inspiration to those looking to her as an example of a young woman determined to succeed in her chosen field. I am very happy about this

If I can contribute to making a positive change in the life of a single woman, it will give me sufficient inspiration to continue my work with gender equality.

I feel like I've become more of a feminist through this process of becoming a mom and just knowing that women are badasses. I'm just encouraged every day and I'm so happy that there are people who have pioneered this...There's so many [women] who have gone through it before and so many who will come through after me as well. I'm just happy to be part of it.

When women are allowed to reach their full potential, everyone benefits

But I believe that we will get there, and that women, collectively, will change our world for the better. Where there is gender equality, societies are more prosperous; peace is more durable; all of society benefits

We have definitely seen marked improvements in the status of women. These improvements are driven by the diligent efforts exerted by women- led movements.

Over the past 24 years, thousands of young women have taken advantage of the opportunities provided; through my personal support and that of the Jewel Star Fish Foundation, many of whom are positively impacting their world in many fields of study.