Hillary Clinton speaks at women's conference

Former secretary of state calls for efforts to foster dignity, equality

This image released by Women in the World shows former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking at the Women in the World Conference on Friday, April 5, 2013 in New York. 

Clinton said Friday that the rights of women represent "the unfinished business of the 21st century" in the United States and around the world, receiving a rapturous reception for one of her first speeches since departing the Obama administration


New York
In a rousing speech Friday about improving the future of women across the globe, Hillary Rodham Clinton gave no hint of plans for her own personal future. But that didn't mean everyone in the audience wasn't thinking about it.

"Of course, the big question now about Hillary is what's next," quipped Tina Brown, editor of Newsweek and the Daily Beast, as she introduced the former secretary of state and possible 2016 presidential candidate to the annual Women in the World summit. The crowd at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater responded with cheers.

Two months after stepping down as secretary of state, Clinton re-emerged this week with two major speeches — one in Washington Tuesday, and Friday's address to this high-profile women's conference, also attended by celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey. 

The speeches coincided with the announcement Thursday of her new memoir about her years as secretary of state.
But rather than speak of her career, Clinton addressed the subject that she talks about each year at this summit: the state of women's rights. She concluded with her famous rallying cry: "Let's keep telling the world over and over again that yes, women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights, once and for all."

But Clinton also stressed that despite the huge difficulties women and girls face in places like Pakistan, where teenager Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban for advocating for girls' education, there is also work to be done at home in the United States.

"If America is going to lead the way we expect ourselves to lead, we need to empower women here at home to participate fully in our economy and our society. We need to make equal pay a reality," Clinton said, pointing to the need to extend family and medical leave and to encourage women to pursue careers in math and science. "We need to invest in our people so they can live up to their own God-given potential."
"This truly is the unfinished business of the 21st century, and it is the work we are called to do," Clinton added. "I look forward to being your partner in all the days and years ahead. Let's keep fighting for opportunity and dignity."
She wasn't the only Clinton onstage: Daughter Chelsea moderated a panel on technology.