Women Rights – Are We There Yet?

The premise behind women rights is simple: a free and equal society can’t be achieved until every woman has access to her basic human needs. This includes the right to vote, own property, and have children, as well as the freedom to choose if and when to marry or be sexually active. Women also have the right to be treated fairly at work and in the community, and to live free from gender-based violence.

However, despite progress that can be seen in terms of women’s representation at the polls and in government and business, many people still believe there is work to be done for women. In fact, a majority of Americans across all demographic and partisan groups think that the country has lost ground on this issue in the last 10 years.

More than nine-in-ten Americans, including majorities of Democrats and Republicans, say it’s very important for women to have the same rights as men in this country. This sentiment is stronger among those who identify as Democrats than Republicans.

And although the majority of respondents think there is more work to be done, the vast majority—85%—believe it is at least somewhat likely that women will eventually have equal rights as men. This is particularly true of those who describe themselves as liberal, and even more so among millennials.

These positive developments come at a time when the world has a unique opportunity to move forward on the empowerment of women and girls. Global leaders and funders must step up their support for these efforts, as it will take an estimated $264 billion to end the worst gender injustices, such as violence against women and girls, child marriage, female genital mutilation, preventable maternal deaths, and unmet need for contraception.

As we look at the past 25 years, some of the most significant advances can be seen in terms of increased representation of women in government and business; more widespread awareness of issues such as period poverty and sexual harassment; and a greater recognition that women’s rights are human rights. However, we need to keep moving forward and make sure we don’t fall backwards.

We must continue to challenge harmful patriarchal traditions, which include early and forced marriage, lack of access to education, sexism in the workplace, low wages, sexual assault, and limited or no legal protections for women and girls’ bodies and decisions over them. This will require continued global cooperation on an unprecedented scale, including through international treaties and agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. But more importantly, it requires a commitment to empower women and girls at all levels of society, to listen to and learn from them, and to support them in becoming agents of change in their own communities. This is the way to achieve a more just and equitable world. And that is why the world celebrates Women’s Equality Day each year.