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Hillary Clinton Headlines NYC Women's Conference

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) --Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the rights of women represent "the unfinished business of the 21st century'' in the U.S. and around the world.

Clinton spoke Friday at a forum on global women's issues. She offered no new clues about her future at the annual Women in
the World summit. But she says the mission of gender equality is not limited to the developing world.

"The great unfinished business of the 21st century is the rights and opportunities of women and girls," she said. "Too many women are still treated, at best, as second-class citizens and at worst, as some kind of sub-human species."

It's one of her first speeches since leaving the State Department. She says the U.S. needs to empower women to participate more fully in the economy and promote equal pay for women.

The former first lady and New York senator was the keynote speaker at a star-studded conference focusing on women across the globe, with appearances by actresses Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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