Efua Dorkenoo

Advocacy Director, FGM Programme (London Office), Equality Now

Dealing with gender inequality starts with tackling the root causes of all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) such as female genital mutilation (FGM). As long as these inequalities are not dealt with, the participation and empowerment of girls is not possible and the eradication of poverty remains a dream, where half of society is harmed for the [supposed] benefit of the remainder.

Karen Ruimy

Singer, author and co-founder of the global gender equality foundation, the GREAT Initiative

I moved into the banking industry as soon as I graduated - it seemed the obvious thing to do when you are good with figures and have a head for business. But then I decided to give it all up on the search for something else, something bigger. I needed to answer all those questions that had been making their presence felt in my life and in my head for some time.

Ali Schofield

Freelance journalist

Women are beautiful. This we know, because a series of Dove ad campaigns and TV programmes hosted by Gok Wan celebrating so called 'real women' have told us so.

Inna Shevchenko

Leader of women's movement FEMEN, sextremist

On Friday 12 of April Femen's topless Jihad reached Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki with the question: "Where is Amina?" The president was keeping silent, hiding himself behind dozen of security guards. Some time after I got a telephone call: "Inna, I am here. It's me, Amina!".

Jan Shure

Co-founder of SoSensational.co.uk, the fashion website for grown up women

Their bodies, of course, have been etiolated, distorted versions of the female form since Barbie was first created by Ruth Handler in 1959, but at least when my own daughters played with them 25-plus years ago, Barbie looked fairly wholesome with her princess outfits, air-hostess uniform, tennis gear, and those impossible-to-put-on trousers and little tops.

Tanya Barron

Chief Executive of Plan UK

The G8 Foreign Ministers meeting is an incredible opportunity for the international community to tackle sexual violence in conflict. However, we need to do this by addressing the destructive legacy left behind even after peace is agreed and responding to the needs of survivors.

Andrew H. Harding

Managing Director of CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)

The Cranfield Female FTSE board report published this week - the annual benchmarking report and update to Lord Davies about the number of women on boards - should give chief executives, chairmen and executive search firms pause for thought.

Sofia Ahmed

Activist, Student and Aspiring Journalist

If Femen really want to help Muslim women they should address the fact that for far too long now, Muslim women have been marginalised, bombed, raped, killed, and enslaved by men from the western world. They should work within their own countries to try and subvert future wars against Muslim countries and help break down barriers. Or perhaps they should stick to trying to liberate women in the west.

Inna Shevchenko

Leader of women's movement FEMEN, sextremist

So, sisters, (I prefer to talk to women anyway, even knowing that behind them are bearded men with knives). You say to us that you are against Femen, but we are here for you and for all of us, as women are the modern slaves and it's never a question of colour of skin.

Jo Cheetham

Writer and academic, currently working on the No More Page 3 campaign

It's wrong that the dominant image of a woman in The Sun is consistently one of a young, bare-breasted model posing in a thong because it sends a powerful message about a woman's position in society: that her primary role is to be sexually attractive to men.

Musa Okwonga

Poet, author, broadcaster, musician and communications adviser

Each of these women had undergone FGM early in their lives, and now, encouraged by my mother, they were talking frankly about how they felt. One of them spoke of the agony that the procedure still caused her three decades later.