This morning, Secretary of State designate, Hillary Rodham Clinton testified at confirmation hearings before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In her statement, Senator Clinton outlined a new vision for U.S. foreign policy under the Obama Administration.  While exploring the multitude of challenges faced by the United States and the international community at large, the New York Senator discussed the importance of implementing a foreign policy that values women’s rights.

“Our foreign policy must reflect our deep commitment to the cause of making human rights a reality for millions of oppressed people around the world. Of particular concern to me is the plight of women and girls, who comprise the majority of the world’s unhealthy, unschooled, unfed, and unpaid.

If half of the world’s population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal, and social marginalization, our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity will remain in serious jeopardy. We still have a long way to go and the United States must remain an unambiguous and unequivocal voice in support of women’s rights in every country, every region, on every continent.”

Senator Clinton also paid tribute to the work of President Elect Barack Obama’s mother- a pioneer of economic empowerment for women and other marginalized populations in her own time.

“I want to mention that President-elect Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, was a pioneer in microfinance in Indonesia. In my own work on microfinance around the world – from Bangladesh to Chile to Vietnam to South Africa and many other countries — I’ve seen firsthand how small loans given to poor women to start small businesses can raise standards of living and transform local economies. President-elect Obama’s mother had planned to attend a microfinance forum at the Beijing women’s conference in 1995 that I participated in. Unfortunately, she was very ill and couldn’t travel and sadly passed away a few months later. But I think it’s fair to say that her work in international development, the care and concern she showed for women and for poor people around the world, mattered greatly to her son, and certainly has informed his views and his vision. We will be honored to carry on Ann Dunham’s work in the months and years ahead.”

As an organization that seeks to invest in women to improve the world, Vital Voices Global Partnership fully supports the Obama Administration’s vision for a foreign policy inclusive of women’s rights. With excitement and enthusiasm, we look forward to welcoming Hillary Rodham Clinton as the next US Secretary of State to execute this vision.

To read the full transcript of Senator Clinton’s speech, click here.
To congratulate Hillary Clinton on her nomination, click here.
To read more about the confirmation hearings, click here.
To read more about President-Elect Barack Obama’s stance on women’s issues, click here.