Information technology may be the key to unlocking and raising women’s voices around the world, Jensine Larsen, a social media entrepreneur, founder of “World Pulse” and global women’s empowerment leader, said at an event hosted by the Campus Women’s Center Thursday.

Larsen, a UW alum, said she found her passion for women empowerment when she traveled around the world and women from developing countries asked her to bring their stories back to the United States.

“I realized I wanted to create a media source where these women could be their own messengers to the world and where they could speak for themselves,” Larsen said.

Larsen said she believes the human potential of women and girls is one of the most powerful resources in the world today, but is usually repressed due to political, social and cultural factors. Technology has the ability to “fully unleash this potential,” she said.

Larsen said there is a shift in consciousness in which women’s leadership is rising because of the communication revolution. She said she regards the “rapidly transformative” technology as the fastest way to achieve gender equality in the world.

Larsen said it is possible to raise women’s voices by building accessible Internet infrastructure, linking women leaders and providing financial resources. Larsen emphasized the role of women leaders or “transmitters” that could train women who do not have access to Internet or are illiterate.

At the age of 28, Larsen said she founded the social action network World Pulse, using the power of all media to connect women all over the world. She started by posting an ad online, and overnight she received more than 40 emails from all over the world. Currently, the networks links more than 60,000 women in around 200 countries, she said.

Larsen said the aim of the network is to connect women spread around the world and listen to their needs.

The network works as a platform where women can share their experience, seek help and speak about their visions on life in their countries, Larsen said. World Pulse then will provide them with resources including financial resources, training and expertise, she said.

The rise of World Pulse has received attention from CNN, the United Nations and Clinton Global Initiative, Larsen said. Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State, just announced the partnership with the World Pulse last month, she said.

“When I looked back now, I realize that’s what I had to do to find my own voice, to grow as a leader, to understand our audience,” Larsen said.

However, the World Pulse still has a long way to go, Larsen said, admitting there were challenges and critiques.

One of the challenges the website faced is the scarcity of resources, resulting from the failure of collaboration between different women groups, Larsen said. The problem lies with the groups’ own interests to raise funds and keep investors from turning to other groups, she said, which resulted in a long process.

In the near future, Larsen said the World Pulse would provide women in developing countries with more mobile phones and create outreach to more women all over the world.