Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Future generations will judge us _x000D_ not by what we say, but what we do.

In terms of being able to renew my nation, to be able to be able to bring back a devastated country, to restore hope to our people, to lift women and to give them a new horizon, a new ambition and new dreams, in respect of all of that, I think we've accomplished it, and I feel very good about that.

The people of Liberia know what it means to be deprived of clean water, but we also know what it means to see our children to begin to smile again with a restoration of hope and faith in the future.

I would like to make sure, first of all, that our women in the informal sector - I mean, these are the farmers and the traders; many of them are not educated, many of them lacking literacy - be able to give them better working conditions. And we've done a lot to be able to achieve that.

I work hard, I work late, I have nothing on my conscience. When I go to bed, I sleep.

As more men become more educated and women get educated, the value system has to be more enhanced and the respect for human dignity and human life is made better.

My calling was first of all to ensure there was peace in the country, because we could easily have gone back to war. In the midst of the country, there were still warlords; there were many child soldiers who had never gone to school - they were part of the social setting - compromises had to be made.

I just think that unless you have that cohesiveness in the family unit, the male character tends to become very dominant, repressive and insensitive. So much of this comes also from a lack of education.

All girls know that they can be anything now. That transformation is to me one of the most satisfying things.

If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.

We have to overcome the practice of male domination - even though it's changing, and changing in Liberia quite drastically.

There is no easy fix or youth unemployment. Partnership between the public and private sectors can make a big difference.

To girls and women everywhere, I issue a simple invitation. _x000D_ My sisters, my daughters, my friends; find your voice