US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has clarified her campaign’s position on gender equality at the 6th Women in the World Summit in New York City.
The Summit, organised in partnership with the New York Times and Georgetown University and held at the city’s Lincoln Centre, is dedicated to discussing the empowerment of women and girls around the world.
Clinton gave a powerful address on the second day of the summit, putting women’s rights and representation front and centre in the third week of her presidential campaign.
She addressed the need to end violence against women, the need to end sexual assault, the need to implement paid parental leave and the need to ensure all women and girls are given the same opportunities as men and boys in America.
In her speech, Clinton said she wants to “make sure that every child – every single child – has the same chance at equality and opportunity”.
“That’s the dream we share, that’s the fight we must wage.”
The candidate received a loud applause when she addressed the issue of paid parental leave in America.
“It is outrageous that American is the only country in the developed world that does not guarantee paid leave for mothers of newborns,” she said.
She also addressed the increasingly visible issue of sexual assault on US college campuses, and in American society more broadly.
“When women of any age – whether on college campuses or military bases or even in their homes – face sexual assault, then no woman is secure,” she said.
“Every women deserves to have the safety and security they need.”
There were also points of optimism in Clinton’s address.
“Despite enormous obstacles that remain, there has never been a better time to be born female,” she said.
“We are so close – closer than we’ve ever been.”
The Women in the World Summit’s founder, journalist and author Tina Brown said she is confident that gender will become a significant issue in Clinton’s campaign and, if it comes to pass, her presidency.
“Hillary’s record on this issue is great and very few people have a record as stellar as she does when it comes to advancing women,” Brown told Brown told Yahoo.
“(Gender) is her issue, and so far she has been very impressive on it.”
“I personally think she’ll be a great president if she can get there.”
Clinton announced her campaign just less than two weeks ago by way of a 3 minute campaign video depicting her as a champion for “everyday Americans”. Since the release, Clinton has begun her campaign in earnest by travelling through the early-primary states of New Hampshire and Iowa.
Clinton’s campaign launch video did not directly address the issue of gender, but today’s address at the Women in the World summit appears to indicate it will be a key issue in her campaign.