Women’s Rights and Equality in the 21st Century
Women account for half the world’s population and are a vital part of human society, yet they are also often treated like second-class citizens. Gender equality is not only a human right, but it has been proven to be essential for peace and sustainable development. The world has made progress on some issues, but many challenges remain.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott led the first major effort by American women to secure rights and freedoms. This movement culminated in the Seneca Falls Convention, where they presented a list of demands—modeled on the Declaration of Independence—that called for women’s suffrage, the right to own property, and access to higher education and professional opportunities.
Since then, significant legal and social changes have paved the way for women to participate more fully in economic, political, and public life. Women are now allowed to work and divorce, and are able to vote in most countries. However, they still face gender-based discrimination and violence, such as rape and domestic abuse; they are paid less than men for similar jobs and experience barriers to entrepreneurship. In fact, the gender gap in the global economy is a leading contributor to poverty and inequality.
The most recent international treaty on the issue, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, 1979), is widely described as an “international bill of rights for women.” Among its 30 articles are provisions guaranteeing that women have equal access to employment, education, health care, and social services; the right to vote in elections; and the right to own property. The countries that have ratified CEDAW must make concrete changes to laws and policies in order to ensure these rights are upheld.
Despite these gains, many people say there is more to be done to give women equal rights with men. The biggest obstacle that respondents cite is sexual harassment, with 77% naming it a major hurdle. A smaller share name different societal expectations (66%), not enough women in positions of power (64%), and family responsibilities (59%) as obstacles.
While the situation is better for women overall than it was four decades ago, the improvement has not been even across all regions. For example, the Middle East and North Africa has the least equitable laws for women, while sub-Saharan Africa has made the most progress. Women in the MENA region, on average, have just half the legal rights as men. In addition, 153 countries have laws that discriminate against women economically and 18 of those also allow husbands to legally prevent their wives from working. Moreover, nearly two thirds of all illiterate adults are women. These and other challenges highlight the need to pursue deep and far-reaching change, requiring a commitment by governments and institutions at all levels. Goal 5, to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” is a key component of this effort.