Welcome to a new salon-style discussion on global women's issues, co-hosted between UN Dispatch and RH Reality Check.

This is a critical time for global health and development. In January we reached an important milestone when President Obama rescinded the so-called Global Gag Rule that prevented American support from reaching some NGOs that do important family planning work in the developing world. Now that the Global Gag Rule is a thing of the past, there are a number of other important priorities for the health, welfare, and empowerment of women worldwide.

We have gathered an excellent panel of experts to discuss and debate exactly a new international agenda for women and girls might look like. Joining the conversation are:

• Sheryl WuDunn, Co-author (with Nicholas Kristof) of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (forthcoming)
• Laurie Mazur, author and population expert.
• Adrienne Germain, International Women's Health Coalition
• Dacia Ray, International Women's Health Coalition
• Alanna Shaikh, Change.org's Global Health blog
• Vanessa Valenti, Feministing
• Michelle Goldberg, author The Means of Reproduction

I kick off the conversation below. Alanna, Laurie and Adrienne offer their thoughts.