Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised Thursday to fight anti-gay hate crimes.

“I promise to continue to fight for a world in which all people live free from violence and fear, regardless of who they are or whom they love,” Clinton said.

Clinton made her remarks in a two-minute video message where she congratulates the Gays & Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA), a group that advocates for the rights of gay men and lesbians working in U.S. foreign affairs agencies, on winning the Employee Resource Group of the Year Award by Out & Equal Workplace Advocates.

“GLIFAA's effort with this Administration began when I received a letter signed by 2,200 employees, LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] and straight, asking that they be treated equally and with the same respect,” Clinton said.

“With recommendations from GLIFAA, we were able to quickly change the Department of State's policy and provide benefits for same-sex partners of Foreign Service officers. And GLIFAA played a significant role in ensuring that other federal agencies followed suit. For more than 17 years, GLIFAA members have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the global LGBT community,” she added.

Clinton's promise to help thwart violence against gay men and lesbians globally comes on the same day the U.S. Senate passed a measure to expand hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

“The United States supports the UN Statement on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and condemns human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity wherever they occur.”

“Human rights abuses are crimes against all of us,” she added in her video message. “We must condemn violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and not tolerate men and women being persecuted, singled out, or even murdered.”

GLIFAA Policy Director Ajit Joshi thanked Clinton in a statement, saying she was “great,” but warned that the group's work was far from done.

“[W]e have a long way to go – our same-sex partners do not have health insurance, pension or immigration rights. LGBT Marines protecting us overseas cannot be open about who they are. And, we absolutely and unequivocally must listen more to the concerns of transgender employees.”