Secretary Clinton Meets With SEWA

by Irene Moskowitz

Tuesday July 21, 2009 at 10:11am, EST

It was a busy weekend for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as she traveled throughout India meeting with various dignitaries and government officials. But she also found time to meet with the leaders of 1Well’s partner, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), an organization devoted to helping poor women become self-employed.  The location was fitting: Hansiba, a SEWA handicraft outlet in southern Mumbai whose production is controlled entirely by rural women. Read more...

In her speech to SEWA members, Clinton called the organization of 1.2 million “truly a world leader in the empowerment of women.” Recalling the first time she met with SEWA members in 1995, she said, “Women had come from everywhere. Some had walked for 24 hours to be there to talk about what SEWA meant to them.”

While she praised SEWA’s role in empowering women, Clinton also recognized the group’s wider impact, for example, SEWA’s work with Pakistani women. In addition, she told the crowd, “SEWA represents an innovative and successful approach to sustainable, inclusive development.” Sharing this vision, 1Well has been successfully partnering with SEWA for more than a year to complete sustainable development projects throughout India. With Secretary Clinton’s support of women’s issues and sustainable development, 1Well and SEWA hope to be able to strengthen and expand this partnership in the coming years.

Click here to read the full transcript of Senator Clinton’s public address to SEWA members in Mumbai.