Chelsea Clinton Urges Young People To Vote

Young journalists club

News ID: 6562
Publish Date: 12:47 - 10 March 2015
The former First Daughter tells Sky News she would consider going into politics if she felt she could make a difference.
Chelsea Clinton has urged young people to get involved in politics and to start conversations on social media over issues they care about.

The former First Daughter told Sky News she would consider following her mother and father into politics, if she believed she could make a difference.

She said: "Absolutely, I'd consider it one day.

"Right now I live in a city and a state and a country where I support my elected officials.

"But if that were to change and if at the same time I were to think that other people could be better advocates for (the issues I care about) then I'd have to ask and answer that question."

Ms Clinton was speaking to Sky News after launching a report charting global progress in gender equality over the past 20 years.

The No Ceilings report revealed huge strides have been made in areas like access to primary education and maternal mortality rates, but that there is still a tremendous amount of work to do in tackling gender-based violence and in improving women's access to economic and political opportunities.

For Chelsea Clinton, it is a set of issues given new meaning when she gave birth to baby Charlotte last year.

She said: "I didn't know that I could care any more about gender equality until I became a mum, and until I became the mother of a daughter.

"What had been such an imperative to me... became all that more visceral, because now it's not just all girls that I'm fighting for, it's also Charlotte."

Asked if her mother was going to run for President, she said: "I don't know, I really don't, she's making up her mind right now, and I know that she's going to make the right decision for herself and our family.

"I also have to admit that at the moment she's more Charlotte's grandmother to me than anything else.

"It's amazing... watching her read to Charlotte, watching her give Charlotte a bottle, watching her sing to Charlotte."

Apparently, though, the former secretary of state and potential presidential candidate doesn't always give the best baby advice.

Ms Clinton said: "Er, she definitely gives me advice, some of it I take and some of it I sort-of smile and say 'thank you' for.

"I'm sure this is a common thing with new mums with their mothers!"

Responding to the Sky News Stand Up Be Counted project to get more young people engaged in politics, she urged people to start conversations on social media over issues they care about, and above all, to "vote".

She said: "In the US millennial participation rates are far below 50% and it is so important to get young women to register to vote and vote, so that our voices are enfranchised in the political process.

"So vote, engage with candidates you believe in and, ultimately, if you feel so passionate and you believe that you're well suited to make a difference, run for office."

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