Two press releases from the Secretary of State yesterday are indicative of her persistent dedication to her signature issue, which, judging from statements from the White House recently, she seems to have managed to wrestle into a major commitment from the administration at large. At UNGA, President Obama stated that the plight of women and girls is central to the concerns of this administration and to stability and development in the world. Now where I have heard that before? Earlier this past week, sharing a stage with Secretaries Clinton and Gates, Secretary Geithner expressed the same focus and rationale. I take these remarks as evidence of the impact Hillary Clinton has had on this administration, the influence and the mark she is leaving on it.
These two press releases, expressing appreciation to the Senate and to the U.N. for efforts that will have a positive impact on women, girls, and therefore on families, are emblematic of the Secretary's close watch on the female front.
New UN Human Rights Council Mechanism to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateWashington, DCOctober 1, 2010Today, the United States joined with the international community to send a clear message: discrimination against women is a violation of human rights. I applaud the UN Human Rights Council for adopting an historic resolution to create a new mechanism that will promote the elimination of laws that discriminate against women. Establishing this mechanism by consensus at the UN Human Rights Council reinforces once again that women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women's rights.
Equality for women is not only a matter of justice -- it is a political, economic, and strategic imperative. The world cannot make progress if women are denied the opportunity to fulfill their God-given potential. The United States will continue its commitment to advance the human rights of women and girls around the world.
Senate Approval of the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateWashington, DCOctober 1, 2010On Wednesday, September 29, the U.S. Senate approved the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance. The United States has been active in the Convention’s development since negotiations began in 2003, and we were the first country to sign the Convention in 2007. This week, we have taken another step toward ratification, again reaffirming our commitment to protecting the welfare of children around the world.
Protecting our most vulnerable citizens, especially children, is one of the primary duties of any government. When a child and one parent are in one country while the other parent is in different country, recovering child support can be difficult and often impossible. The United States has a comprehensive system in place to establish, recognize, and enforce domestic and international child support obligations. The Convention requires that all treaty partners develop similar systems to facilitate the recovery of funds between nations. This will help more children around the world receive the support they need more expeditiously than ever before.
The Department of State will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services as we continue toward ratification by the full Senate and the United States becoming a party to the Convention.
We look forward to working with the Hague Conference and other countries to implement this important Convention worldwide.
