heard of a woman bloody dictator or tyrant? I think not. If there were more women in power, I think we would have more harmony, more engagement and less suffering and less conflict." On 9 July 2011 during the meeting with Elbegdorj in Ulaanbaatar, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Mongolia's recent parliamentary elections in which nine women were elected and applauded Mongolia for its "courage" in building a democratic system in a country surrounded by Russia and China. "Mongolia encourages women’s involvement in the political system with the intention of improving their role in society" Elbegdorj said in his lecture at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in November 2013. In the 2013 Mongolian Presidential election, Natsagiin Udval, Mongolia's first female presidential contender ran against Elbegdorj. Elbegdorj said "Public policies on social welfare or protection should reflect kindness and tenderness of mothers," in his public lecture at Yangon University in Yangon, Myanmar. Abolition of capital punishment On 14 January 2010, Elbegdorj announced that he would, henceforth, systematically use his prerogative to pardon all persons sentenced to death. He stated that most countries in the world had abolished the death penalty, and Mongolia should follow their example. He suggested that capital punishment would be commuted to a thirty-year prison sentence. The decision was controversial; when Elbegdorj announced it in Parliament, MPRP representatives did not give the applause customarily due after a presidential speech. (See: Capital punishment in Mongolia) Elbegdorj stated "Capital punishment is wrong–it degrades human dignity. It brings no peace to society. It does not deter crime and does not lift up mankind," in his speech at the High-Level Meeting on the Rule of Law of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September 2012. "By ratifying the Second Optional Protocol Mongolia would add yet one more country in the world community to fully abolish the death penalty. Pardoning a life does not mean pardoning a penalty. The punishment for serious and cruel felonies must be severe, and must be just. However, I do not think it is just to deprive any citizens of life in the name of state. The right to life is one of the fundamental rights of a human being and cannot depend on anyone, not even on the head of state. The state should respect very fundamental human rights, and secure them by law," Elbegdorj pointed out in his greeting