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Gabriella Hernandez-H.
Professor Dudley
English 112
1 February 2015
Womens Rights-Human Rights Rhetoric Analysis
Hilary Clinton, former U.S Secretary of State, U.S senator of New York, and First Lady
of the U.S, is an enormous advocate for womens rights. In her Womens rights-Human rights
speech Clinton executes a persuasive argument defending womens rights as not just womens
rights, but as human rights as well. Delivered September 5, 1995 in Beijing China; addressing
the U.N. World Conference on womens issues. This event of U.N. Women came about as part of
the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. Merging
and building on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system which
focus exclusively on gender equality and womens empowerment. Her goal is to spread the word
on issues on education, health care, and basic human rights for women. She uses a number of
techniques to get her audiences attention and to persuade them to use their power however they
can to help change the lives of women who so deserve to be treated equally. In order to
accomplish her goals, Clinton provides actual events that occur every day to appeal to her
audiences emotions and moral values, and in doing so not leaving out proof of credibility.
She informs her audience, who are well to do educated women involved in politics like
Clinton herself of the work they are there for. What is the best way to persuade a friendly
audience who respect and applaud what you are trying to do? Appeal to emotion, which Clinton
does so well with her heart wrenching examples of abuses to womens rights that still
unfortunately exist today such as Women are doused with gasoline, set on fire, and burned to
death because their marriage dowries are deemed to small. Her use of repetition with examples

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like these are difficult to forget and it is difficult not to captivate ones attention. Another
example, discussing the abuses women face, and starting each abuse out with it is a violation of
human rights to Not only is Clinton using repetition for emotional pull, but also using it to
help persuade her audience to see the positive side effect of what the outcome of healthy,
educated, and free from violence women and families can have. The opportunity to flourish
Clinton repeats, Their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and
nations do as well. In doing this she is also using deductive reasoning That is why every
woman, every man, every child, every family, and every nation on this planet does have a stake
in the discussion that take place here. We all need to help because we are a community, and
because of that reason we all need to be equal Clinton is what states here.
She says all this but not without credibly, because one can say they are for womens
rights but actively taking part in organizations, such as this one take time and true passion for
what you do. As she points out her participation in a World Health Organization forum, and the
next day attending the United Nations Development Fund for women. Having met women from
different backgrounds and social standings in Indonesia, Denmark, South Africa, India,
Bangladesh, and many more countries. Shows she has been around the world meeting women of
all types, dedicating 25 years to issues relating to women, children, and families Clinton proves
her credibility to be able to fight and speak for women who are forced to not have a voice for
basic human right. She also holds the audience responsible with herself included to speak for
those who cannot, because they have the opportunity to be there at the conference. She connects
herself with women all around the world while saying We are the primary caretakers...As we sit
heremuch of the work we do is not valued. By connecting herself with women all around the
world, she re-focuses the audience to understand that we are not that different that we are

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equal. Which successfully addresses the issues and unites the house with common goals given
through her speech.
Speaking on issues of womens right such as access to education, health care, jobs, and
basic human rights, Clinton articulately and persuasively make us feel like we can help women
all over the world accomplish these goals. She also cleverly addresses the opposing view point
while still being able to Segway to her next topic for example There are some who question the
reason for this conference. Let them listen to the voices of women in their homes,
neighborhoods, and workplaces. There are some who wonder whether the lives of women and
girls matter to economic and political progress around the globe. She goes on to answer those
who wonder in the same manner as the first part, brilliantly attacking the opposing view in a
respectful way, but yet making her point strongest.
While this is the strongest and well executed speech Ive read. There are little niches in
her speech I wish she would have either elaborated on such as putting more statistical facts into
this speech but I understand where that would be hard seeing as how women have yet to be
helped in the ways Clinton suggests, but what she lacked in facts she made up for in real
situations that would move one to tears. Since she is speaking at a womens rights conference
she is speaking to a friendly audience who no doubt share her belief, so there is also no doubt
that there is a bias at hand. Also being a women, there must be a readers biased as well, but that
is what makes a speech a great speech, when one has a strong enough desire to spread the word
on a certain topic or issue to be able to persuade a reader or thinker in their direction.
This is a very well thought out and well written speech. Through the examples of pathos
which appeal to ones emotion and is supported by ethos which is a moral appeal to ones values

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help womens rights which in the words of Hilary Clinton Let it be that human rights are
womens rights and womens rights are human rights once and for all.