Although the global women’s rights treaty was ratified by most nations many years ago, issues such as poverty, decision-making, and violence against women continue to persist in all areas of their lives. Despite the advancements made in promoting and empowering women through the treaty, these challenges remain unresolved.
The “Beijing Women’s Conference,” also known as the 4th World Conference on Women, took place in Beijing, China from September 4th to September 15th, 1995. More than 180 nations, including the United States of America, sent delegates to this conference. Its main objective was to promote equality, development, and peace for women globally with the ultimate aim of benefiting all of humanity.
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, the First Lady of the United States of America, delivered a speech at this conference to advocate for global gender equality and opportunities for women (“Hillary Clinton Biography”). Being an American herself, she acknowledged that both the United States and other nations encounter obstacles in terms of women’s rights. She underscored the significance of granting women their freedoms and ensuring their voices are not silenced.
In her speech titled “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights,” delivered in Beijing during the United Nations’ fiftieth anniversary celebration and the Beijing Women’s Conference, Clinton emphasized the significance of treating women equally in terms of human rights. Through her adept use of rhetorical appeals and diverse devices, Clinton advocated for gender equality alongside men’s rights.
Hillary Clinton’s speech effectively utilizes three rhetorical appeals – pathos, ethos, and logos – to address women’s rights. She explicitly asserts her credibility by asserting herself as the rightful person to discuss this topic. Ethos is evident through her emphasis on her longstanding commitment to issues impacting women, children, and families over the past 25 years. Furthermore, she demonstrates understanding of the challenges faced by women both domestically and internationally in recent years. By conveying competence and expertise, Clinton leaves a favorable impression on the audience.
Clinton’s speech showcases her passion and confidence, enhancing her credibility. Moreover, she is celebrated for championing women’s rights, further cementing her status as a respected speaker. In the 1990s, she rose to prominence as a prominent global advocate against the mistreatment of women worldwide. Throughout her professional journey, both American authorities and international organizations have recognized and honored her with multiple accolades.
Therefore, based on her previous accomplishments and acknowledgement, Clinton is a suitable candidate for delivering a comprehensive speech on women’s issues. Furthermore, through the use of pathos in her speech, she effectively appeals to the emotions of her audience and establishes a strong emotional response while forming a profound connection with her arguments. Moreover, she highlights the unjust treatment faced by women worldwide and emphasizes their lack of recognition within the global community.
Clinton’s speech highlights the global denial of basic rights to women, emphasizing that their inability to access education, healthcare, property ownership, and decision-making is solely based on their gender. Through these examples, Clinton aims to foster empathy and draw attention to the widespread inequality faced by millions of women worldwide.
Clinton emphasizes the word “speak” at the beginning of each sentence to highlight how this international conference on women’s rights is the ideal platform for her to address overlooked and denied women’s issues. She effectively communicates her message by listing various human rights violations. Additionally, Clinton cites a distressing example, stating that it is a violation of human rights when the leading cause of death among women ages 14 to 44 is the violence they endure from their own relatives in their own homes. This statistic serves to remind the audience of the urgency of women’s rights and may resonate with their perceptions and emotions, prompting them to take the issue more seriously. Through this statistic, Clinton appeals to pathos and argues that women of all ages deserve equal treatment, expressing her disagreement with current treatment of women worldwide.
Moreover, the logos appeal is evident in her speech as she asserts that a peaceful world cannot be achieved while women continue to face discrimination. She concludes her speech by emphasizing that until discrimination and disparities persist worldwide, and as long as girls and women are undervalued, have inadequate access to food and education, experience exploitation and violence both domestically and externally, the potential for the human race to establish a harmonious and prosperous global community will remain unrealized.
Hillary Clinton stresses the importance of women’s rights in promoting worldwide unity, emphasizing how gender discrimination impacts families globally. She consistently emphasizes the role of women in nurturing stability and resilience within families, underscoring the necessity for a society that affords women their full rights without unjust limitations.
Clinton proposes that by giving priority to the strength and stability of families, a world can be established where women are treated fairly and respectfully, free from discrimination. She highlights that by concentrating on the welfare of women and their families, genuine equality for women can be attained. Clinton employs explicit language and repetition to vehemently denounce the worldwide mistreatment and exploitation of women, urging the global community to put an end to these violations of women’s rights.
In a confident manner, she highlights numerous instances of women’s rights violations by repeatedly emphasizing the phrase, “It’s a violation of human rights when…,” at the start of each statement. One notable example is when she points out that it is a violation of human rights when women are doused with gasoline, set ablaze, and fatally burned due to insufficient dowries. By reiterating this phrase, she expands the scope of the grim reality of violence that women have endured for an extensive period, shedding light on the various issues prevalent worldwide.
Furthermore, Clinton successfully expands and alters the audience’s viewpoints by demonstrating the actuality of the women’s experiences, while offering additional instances of the challenges women encounter globally. One cited example emphasizes the distressing reality of young girls suffering from genital mutilation constituting a violation of human rights. In essence, throughout her discourse, Clinton employs consistent language to shed light on the hardships endured by women, their suppression as individuals, and the infringement upon their human rights.
Clinton’s speech, “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights,” is intended to inspire and give hope to women globally by addressing the challenges they encounter. She emphasizes the pressing necessity for gender equality and asserts her influential role in advocating for women’s rights as the former First Lady of the United States.
Hillary Clinton is a strong supporter of gender equality and believes that women’s human rights should be integrated into all aspects of human rights. She acknowledges the progress made in the past, but also looks towards a future where women are treated as equals and envisions potential accomplishments. In her efforts to promote sustainable development for women, she demonstrates her commitment to improving the quality of life for both present and future generations.
Moreover, she effectively establishes ethos, pathos, and logos appeals throughout her speech, expressing her disapproval for the mistreatment of women. Each word carries profound meaning and serves a distinct purpose in achieving her objectives at the conference. Overall, Clinton delivers this momentous speech with eloquence, knowledgeability, and organization as she addresses the significant challenges faced by women.
