Investing in Women’s Rights and Equality

Women are fundamental to all aspects of life, and a free and equal society is essential for everyone. Investing in women’s rights and equality is one of the most impactful things we can do to create a world where we all thrive.

The United States and many other countries have achieved dramatic social and legal changes that were once considered outlandish. But the people who have lived through these changes can hardly remember when they were not part of their daily lives. Even young people can hardly imagine a time when women’s equality wasn’t possible. These changes were brought about through a combination of laws, movements, and people who stood up for what they believed in.

But while progress has been made in a lot of places, the work still needs to be done. Across the globe, millions of women are denied their basic human rights – including freedom from violence and access to education and economic opportunity. The need to advance women’s rights and equality is as important today as it ever has been.

While there is still work to be done, the majority of Americans say that it is at least somewhat likely that women will have equal rights with men in their lifetimes. This is largely because of international agreements and conventions like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) which set out an international bill of rights for women, and defines what obligations governments have to uphold those rights. Today, more than 180 states are signatories to CEDAW.

However, a significant share of people – especially Democratic and Republican women – say that the US hasn’t gone far enough in ensuring that women have equal rights with men. When asked to cite obstacles, a large majority of those who say this point to sexual harassment as an issue. Roughly two-thirds say that women not having the same legal rights as men, and different societal expectations are also major obstacles.

Other important issues include economic empowerment, sex discrimination, and violence against women. Increasing women’s economic opportunities, and giving them access to land and natural resources, is key to advancing their rights. It is critical to reduce sexual and gender-based violence, and this can be done by educating children without sexist biases, and combating harmful patriarchal traditions, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.

In the past few years, countries have moved to make it easier for women to access education and jobs, and to take a leading role in their communities. They have also taken steps to reduce the pay gap and improve women’s economic status. But a constitutional guarantee of gender equality is needed to really ensure that women have the opportunity to thrive and live their fullest potential. This is why the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is such an important and necessary step towards a more equitable future for all. If passed, the ERA would help advocates and lawmakers to hold laws against sex discrimination up to constitutional standards of equality.