KUALA LUMPUR: Excitement abounds here in Kuala Lumpur as the largest women's conference of the decade begins its sessions. Women from all walks of life are converging on Malaysia for the Women Deliver 2013 conference, which will look into issues pertaining to women's health and rights, according to a statement issued by its organizers on Monday. “The conference will feature more than 100 sessions with talks by some of the world's leading voices on girls' and women's issues," said the statement, adding that people taking part in the talks include “Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Chelsea Clinton, Board Member of the Clinton Foundation; Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Foundation (UNFPA); and Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Malaysian Prime Minister Honorable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak will lead the opening ceremony on the first day of the meeting." According to the statement, organizations – including the World Bank, the Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organization – will release during the conference “major new research and reports focused on the benefits of investing in girls and women." And Malaysian women are excited to see their country play host to the conference. "We are really looking forward to the debate, conversations and goals that this conference will deliver for women across the world and here in Malaysia," one participate told Bikyanews.com. While the conference officially kicks off on Tuesday, advocates have organized a number of pre-meetings to discuss key issues that affect girls and women that have taken place in the previous few days. BN
