It's been nearly 20 years since then First Lady Hillary Clinton famously declared, "If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights, once and for all," at the Fourth Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995.
You might hear that declaration and think duh, but at the time it was major news, garnering headlines around the globe and bringing the fight for gender equality to the world stage. Yesterday, Clinton announced it was time for a progress report. "It's time for a full and clear-eyed look at how far we have come, how far we still have to go and what we plan to do together about the unfinished business of the 21st century the full and equal participation of women," she said at the Clinton Global Initiative's annual conference in New York.
As part of the two year assessment, Clinton said she will also launch initiatives to promote women in business, technology, and agriculture to the developing world. According to Bloomberg News, those initiatives will include bringing Internet access to five million women in Africa, creating a pipeline of 2,000 female technology employees in developing countries, and providing supplies and mentorship to 15,000 female entrepreneurs.
It's encouraging to see Clinton yet again give gender equality a global profile. While some countries are showing signs of progress—Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe just authored an op-ed in The Wall Street Journalon how women are key to his country's economic growth, other countries—Egypt, Afghanistan, China, to name a few—have taken steps backward in recent years, curbing women's rights rather than increasing their prominence in society. And hey, it gives Clinton something to do while she mulls a presidential bid.
To learn more about the Clinton Foundation's programs to empower women and girls worldwide, visit:
http://www.clintonfoundation.org/our-work/by-topic/women-and-girls
.
-
Bella Hadid Just Added Rodeo Champion to Her Extensive Resume"Her hard work in and out of the show pen is evident."
-
Talking Industry Success and the Future of Haircare with the U.S. President of L'Oréal Professional ProductsHere's the inside scoop.
-
Prince Harry's "Despair" at Online Trolls "Trying to Make Trouble" For His Family Is Understandable, Says Royal Expert"He says he is happy. I believe him."
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to MenIt's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
-
EMILY's List President Laphonza Butler Has Big Plans for the OrganizationUnder Butler's leadership, the largest resource for women in politics aims to expand Black political power and become more accessible for candidates across the nation.
-
Want to Fight for Abortion Rights in Texas? Raise Your Voice to State LegislatorsEmily Cain, executive director of EMILY's List and and former Minority Leader in Maine, says that to stop the assault on reproductive rights, we need to start demanding more from our state legislatures.
-
Your Abortion Questions, AnsweredHere, MC debunks common abortion myths you may be increasingly hearing since Texas' near-total abortion ban went into effect.
-
The Future of Afghan Women and Girls Depends on What We Do NextBetween the U.S. occupation and the Taliban, supporting resettlement for Afghan women and vulnerable individuals is long overdue.
-
How to Help Afghanistan Refugees and Those Who Need AidWith the situation rapidly evolving, organizations are desperate for help.
-
It’s Time to Give Domestic Workers the Protections They DeserveThe National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, reintroduced today, would establish a new set of standards for the people who work in our homes and take a vital step towards racial and gender equity.
-
The Biden Administration Announced It Will Remove the Hyde AmendmentThe pledge was just one of many gender equity commitments made by the administration, including the creation of the first U.S. National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence.
