Cornell Global Development Club hosted the University’s first Summit on International Women’s Issues in Global Health and Development this past Saturday in Goldwin Smith Hall. Approximately 200 graduate and undergraduate students, professors, health professionals, civic leaders and women’s rights advocates gathered to discuss the challenges that women presently face around the world.

Last spring, Vanessa Coleman ’10, former president of the club, came up with the idea of holding a conference that would just focus on women’s issues. Current Club President Carrie Bronsther ’10 explained that the goals of the conference were to shed light on the international crimes against women that had often gone unheard, promote the sharing of ideas and get people motivated to take action.