Julia Gillard has thrown her support behind the US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in a campaign video released overnight.
Guardian Australia understands the Clinton camp approached Gillard to be part of the video, which was shot in New York this month.
Hillary has what it takes to lead America. Watch the new video on her accomplishments as Secretary of State: https://t.co/NHCzrdNskT
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 19, 2015
In the video, Gillard praises the former secretary of state’s commitment to girls’ education.
“Hillary Clinton understood in her heart how important it was for girls to get an opportunity, but she also understood in her head that if we want to build peaceful, economically prosperous nations, then we have to educate girls,” Gillard says. “She was determined to see that women take their place as economic partners in their community, and take their place as political leaders in their community.”
Gillard also praises the “calibre” of Clinton’s intellect in engaging with the Asia-Pacific region. She was a “shaper of conversations, and that’s going to be remembered for many, many long years to come as a diplomatic breakthrough for the US”, Gillard says.
Clinton’s time as US secretary of state coincided with Gillard’s prime ministership. Clinton publicly praised Gillard’s efforts to call out sexism and Gillard offered Clinton advice on doing the same.
Since leaving politics, Gillard has taken up a role with the Global Partnership on Education, an organisation that aims at increasing access to basic education for disadvantaged children.
She has often spoken about the benefits of boosting literacy and numeracy rates for girls, last month telling an audience at the University of Adelaide, where she is an honorary professor, that it is “morally just and right to educate girls”.
While still prime minister, Gillard chaired the UN millennium development goals advocacy group.
Clinton is widely considered the frontrunner in the Democratic race, blitzing last week’s candidates debate.
