Women’s Rights in the 21st Century
Women have a right to equal pay, property ownership, education, health care and freedom from violence. They are entitled to vote, run for office and pursue careers. And they should be able to choose when, how many and with whom they want children. Yet, the world has a long way to go before all women and girls enjoy these rights.
Over the past century, a movement called feminism has helped bring about some of these gains. But it has been a slow journey. Originally, the movement’s issues were controversial and viewed as unpalatable. In 1916, Margaret Sanger opened a birth control clinic in Brooklyn, allowing doctors to recommend that married women use contraception to avoid pregnancy. That was the first of hundreds of arrests over a 40-year period for Sanger and other birth control activists. Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress, was also arrested and jailed several times in her fight for women’s rights.
As a result of the activism, more governments enacted laws that improved conditions for women. For example, in 1920, suffrage was passed and women could vote. And, in the 1940s, women gained access to birth control and other reproductive health services. This improved their economic circumstances by enabling them to delay having kids and work longer in the workforce, which led to higher wages and lower rates of poverty.
The international community has been working to advance women’s rights through the United Nations and its Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). But, even though the majority of countries have made progress in their treatment of women over the past few decades, a large number of countries treat women unequally by excluding them from key aspects of life such as mobility and entrepreneurship.
In 178 countries, legal barriers keep women from fully participating in the economy. For example, women cannot own property as easily as men or get passports as quickly. And, in many countries, they are not paid equally to men for the same jobs.
Even worse, harmful patriarchal traditions such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) keep millions of women from having the future they deserve. In fact, it is estimated that a woman is injured or killed in a FGM procedure every two minutes.
The good news is that, if the recent trends continue, it is likely that all countries will be on track to meet the global target of empowering all women and girls by 2030. The next step is to ensure that those policies are implemented at a national level.
But, the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts and stringent policies—from abortion to refugee resettlement—pose a serious threat to these hard-won rights. It is time for people of conscience to rally around the world to defend these rights. Because only when all women have these rights will they be able to contribute to a better and brighter future for everyone.