U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today stressed that study after study shows that gender equality is crucial to the economic and political stability of countries around the world.
In her remarks for “Highlighting Solutions To Stop Violence” Against Women Policy Dialogue, Ms. Clinton said when women are able to participate in the political process and enter the labor force, economies grow faster, children are healthier, and there is less corruption.
“Entire societies flourish. So elevating women is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.” – Ms. Clinton
She stated that violence against women is one of the biggest obstacles to empowering women.
“That’s why I am so pleased that the Pacific Women’s Empowerment Initiative, which I announced with Minister Rudd last year, is coming together once again to enlist new partners and develop new ideas in this effort. You are helping to improve policies, initiate new programs, and establish new resources for the empowerment of women and girls in the Pacific region.” – Ms. Clinton
Hilary Clinton said she hoped the dialogue gives an opportunity to discuss what works, what doesn’t, and how can the world build upon successful policies and programs to advance women’s rights.
“And I hope your discussions yield concrete results, because this is a crucial issue for the Pacific region and the world. And I can’t wait to hear about the next steps. Thank you.” – Ms. Clinton
