Hillary Clinton gives talk on rising gender inequality

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:10 JST, October 21, 2022

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the inequalities women have faced amid the spread of the novel coronavirus at an event held in Tokyo on Thursday. The event on women’s rights and gender equality was hosted by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

Clinton, who has worked to improve the status of women, said that the growing authoritarian tide against women’s advancement is a direct threat to democracy.

She also referred to antigovernment protests in Iran, which were triggered by the issue of mandatory hijabs, or scarves that women use to cover their head, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized abortion as a constitutional right.

Clinton criticized the Supreme Court decision, saying that it was an attempt to impose a single religious belief. She also noted that many women the world over have lost their jobs due to childcare demands and the need to take care of family members amid the pandemic, and said economic and social inequalities for women had worsened.