Narrator: In a rural Cambodian hut, a mother named Chan was breastfeeding her infant daughter, Sophie, when a jealous rival threw battery acid through the window. The attack left both mother and child horrifically burned and, in Sophie’s case, blind. They suffered for days before reaching a hospital, where their story of unimaginable cruelty might have ended in silence. Instead, it became the catalyst for a global movement. A New York surgeon, Dr. Ebby Elahi, was so moved by their plight that he reached out to Kim Azzarelli, then a corporate executive at Avon. This single connection sparked a chain reaction, drawing in the company’s CEO, legal experts at Cornell Law School, and even a Supreme Court Justice. What began as a personal tragedy transformed into a powerful coalition that not only provided Sophie with life-changing medical care but also helped pass new laws in Cambodia to fight acid violence.

This incredible story of connection and purpose is at the heart of Fast Forward: How Women Can Achieve Power and Purpose, by Melanne Verveer and Kim K. Azzarelli. The book argues that the full participation of women is not merely a social issue but the great unfinished business of the twenty-first century—a critical driver of economic prosperity and social progress for everyone.

Narrator: The central argument of Fast Forward is that empowering women is not an act of charity but a strategic economic imperative. For too long, women have been viewed as a niche market or a philanthropic cause rather than what they truly are: the most dynamic and fastest-growing economic force in the world. The authors present compelling evidence that when women are empowered, a "double dividend" is created, benefiting not only the women themselves but also their families, communities, and national economies.

This idea is powerfully illustrated by the story of Ann Moore, who became the publisher of People magazine in 1991. At the time, advertisers, particularly car companies, believed women had little influence on major purchasing decisions like buying a minivan. Moore, convinced they were wrong, sent a film crew to Detroit to interview minivan drivers. The footage was undeniable: the drivers were overwhelmingly women, and their favorite magazine was People. When she sent the tape to auto executives, the advertising dollars flowed in. A similar revelation occurred in Japan, where Goldman Sachs managing director Kathy Matsui authored the "Womenomics" report in 1999. Facing a prolonged recession, Japan had overlooked its most valuable untapped resource: its highly educated female population. Matsui’s data-driven report argued that closing the gender gap in employment could boost Japan's GDP by as much as nine percent. Though it took years to gain traction, her analysis eventually influenced national policy, proving that gender equality is, as the World Bank has stated, "smart economics."

Narrator: While the economic case for empowering women is clear, the book argues that true progress is also fueled by a deeper, more personal driver: purpose. Finding meaning, especially by contributing to a cause larger than oneself, can be a transformative force. This is vividly captured in the story of Pam Seagle, a senior marketing executive at Bank of America. In 2009, she was a passenger on US Airways Flight 1549, the flight that became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson." After the terrifying experience of the crash landing and her subsequent rescue, Seagle reevaluated her entire life. The high-stress corporate world no longer felt fulfilling.

She realized she wanted her work to have more meaning. Instead of leaving the company, she approached her superiors and made a case for a new role. She became the executive for corporate social responsibility marketing, a position that allowed her to align her professional skills with her newfound purpose. She began managing the bank's global women’s programs, working on initiatives that supported female entrepreneurs and advanced the company’s social impact goals. Seagle’s journey shows that purpose isn't just about feeling good; it's about channeling one's power and platform to create tangible change, leading to greater professional satisfaction and a more meaningful life.

Narrator: Power and purpose are amplified exponentially through connection. The book demonstrates that when individuals and organizations unite around a shared mission, they can achieve outcomes that would be impossible alone. The story of Sophie, the Cambodian acid attack survivor, is a testament to this principle. Her case connected a diverse group of people who had never met but were united by a common purpose.

It began with Dr. Ebby Elahi, the surgeon who treated her. He shared her story with Kim Azzarelli at Avon, who in turn secured the support of CEO Andrea Jung. This partnership led to the creation of the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School, an institution dedicated to combating gender-based violence. The center brought together judges, lawyers, and activists from around the world to develop strategies for implementing laws to protect women. The story even reached retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who became a vocal supporter. This network, sparked by one child's suffering, created a ripple effect of legal reform and global advocacy. It illustrates a core message of Fast Forward: individual action is powerful, but collective, connected action is world-changing.

Narrator: While women at the top of their fields are breaking barriers, Fast Forward argues that leadership is essential at every level. Change is driven not only by CEOs and heads of state but also by women in middle management and at the grassroots. Amanda Ellis’s career exemplifies the power of leadership from the middle. When she joined the World Bank, the institution rarely considered gender a factor in economic growth. Ellis, a mid-level specialist, persisted in making the research case, eventually authoring a groundbreaking report that demonstrated the high economic cost of gender inequality in Uganda. Her data-driven advocacy from within the organization helped shift the entire institution's perspective, leading the World Bank to become a global champion for women's economic empowerment.

At the base of the economic pyramid, leaders like Muhammad Yunus have unleashed enormous potential. His creation of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh was founded on a simple but revolutionary idea: provide small, collateral-free loans, or microcredit, to the poorest women. He recognized that these women were reliable borrowers who would invest their earnings back into their families' health and education. This model has since lifted millions out of poverty and has been replicated worldwide, proving that empowering women at the grassroots level creates a powerful engine for sustainable development.

Narrator: To accelerate progress, the book identifies two critical levers for change: education and technology. When girls are educated, the benefits cascade through generations. This is powerfully illustrated by the story of Kakenya Ntaiya, a Maasai girl from a remote Kenyan village. Destined for early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), she negotiated a deal with her father: she would undergo the ritual if he allowed her to finish high school. She not only finished but went on to earn a doctorate in the United States. Fulfilling a promise to her village elders, she returned to found the Kakenya Center for Excellence, a boarding school for girls. Her school provides a safe haven where girls are protected from FGM and child marriage, empowering them to become the next generation of leaders.

Technology, meanwhile, is a force multiplier for this progress. Organizations like Girls Who Code, founded by Reshma Saujani, are working to close the gender gap in tech by providing young women with the skills and mentorship needed to thrive in the digital economy. By teaching girls to code and build projects that solve community problems, they are not just preparing them for jobs; they are empowering them to become innovators who can design a more equitable future.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from Fast Forward is that the empowerment of women is the smartest investment we can make in our collective future. It is not a zero-sum game but a rising tide that lifts all boats—strengthening economies, fostering innovation, and building more stable societies. The evidence is no longer anecdotal; it is a clear and compelling economic and social reality.

The book leaves us with a profound challenge. It asks us to move beyond simply acknowledging the problem and to actively use our own power, purpose, and connections to become part of the solution. The journey toward full gender equality is long, but as the stories in Fast Forward show, it is a journey fueled by individual courage and collective action. The ultimate question it poses is not whether we can afford to invest in women and girls, but whether we can possibly afford not to.