Email from HIllary: The great unfinished business of our time

It is always so special to see an email from Hillary in your inbox. 

The great unfinished business of our time

Still 4 Hill,

Since making the Foundation my new home this spring, I have met so many new people solving problems and driving change in people's lives. And while I've gotten to know and learn from many of you, I am delighted to write to all of you for the first time. Whether you're a longtime supporter of the Foundation or a new partner, I am looking forward to working together to help more people in more places live up to their God-given potential.

On Friday, we announced a new initiative to accelerate the progress of women and girls at home and around the world. We call it No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, and I hope you'll be a part of it.

No Ceilings has its roots nearly twenty years ago, and we hope it will have an impact just as far into the future.

In 1995, at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, 189 countries set an ambitious goal: Women and girls should be able to participate fully in the progress and prosperity of their societies. I was proud to co-lead the American delegation to the conference and to declare to the world that "Human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights, once and for all."

We've made a lot of progress since that day – more girls are in school, more women hold jobs, and more women serve in public office – but we're still a long way from the goal of full participation. Women and girls continue to face ceilings that limit what they can achieve and hold back entire economies and societies. More than 100 countries have laws on the books that restrict women's participation in the economy. Women are nearly half of the world's population, but hold only 20 percent of all parliamentary seats. Around the world, including in the United States, women tend to earn less than men. And nearly 5 million girls are still married under the age of 15 every year.

The great unfinished business of the 21st century is helping women and girls break through these ceilings and contribute fully in every aspect of life.

That's what No Ceilings is all about. We will take a clear-eyed look at the progress that has been made and the work that remains to be done, and lay out a 21st century agenda for full participation. We'll work with partners to share the best data, amplify women's voices, and support the next generation of emerging women leaders.

Please join me and the Clinton Foundation in this crucial effort and we will work together to give women everywhere the chance to participate fully in their societies. Because we're all in this together and women's progress is, in fact, human progress.

I look forward to sharing more information as we get underway, and as always, thank you for your support.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Clinton Foundation