In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

It was in 1931 that the historian James Thurlow Adams coined the phrase “the American dream.” The American dream is not just a yearning for affluence, Adams said, but also for the chance to overcome barriers and social class, to become the best that we can be. Adams acknowledged that the United States didn’t fully live up to that ideal, but he argued that America came closer than anywhere else.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

I went back to the women and said, 'Tell me exactly what you want us to do.' And they said, 'Don't do anything for us, do something for our children'.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

Often we blame a region's religion when the oppression instead may be rooted in its culture. Yet, that acknowledged, it's also true that. . . It is often cited by the oppressors.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

One of the great failings of the American education system (in our view) is that young people can graduate from university without any understanding of poverty at home or abroad.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

Rescuing girls from brothels is the easy part, however. The challenge is keeping them from returning. The stigma that girls feel in their communities after being freed, coupled with drug dependencies or threats from pimps, often lead to return to the re-light district.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

So let us be clear about this up front: We hope to recruit you to join an incipient movement to emancipate women and fight global poverty by unlocking women's power as economic catalysts. That is the process under way - not a drama of victimization but of empowerment, the kind that transforms bubbly teenage girls from brothel slaves into successful businesswomen. This is a story of transformation. It is change that is already taking place, and change that can accelerate if you'll just open your heart and join in.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

There are 2-3 millions prostitutes in India, and although many of them now sell sex to some degree willingly, and are paid, a significant share of them entered the sex industry unwillingly.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

The tide of history is turning women from beasts of burden and sexual playthings into full-fledged human beings.

— Nicholas D. Kristof

The world spends $40 billion a year on pet food.

— Nicholas D. Kristof