Women’s Rights – The Backbone of Societies

Women have a right to live in a world where they are not only recognised as equal partners with men but also take on leadership roles. They have the right to have a good standard of living that provides them with food, water, shelter and a decent livelihood, where they are free from discrimination, violence and forced marriages and have the opportunity to choose their own path in life. They have the right to education and health care. They have a right to equality with men in the workplace, and in society as a whole. They have the right to family reunification and the right to marry and have children without discrimination. Women are the backbone of many societies, and it is important that they are able to participate fully in society and contribute to economic development.

Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of work to be done to ensure that women can live with these rights. In fact, women still face discrimination, violence and abuse on a daily basis. For example, 1 in 3 women around the world experience violence (source: Unicef). About 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation.

Another challenge is that of sex-discriminatory laws that prevent women from having full access to economic opportunities, property ownership and inheritance. Governments must repeal or amend these laws, and provide women with the legal framework that guarantees their human rights.

The gender equality movement is a long process. Many of its goals have been contested in the past and some remain controversial even today. Nevertheless, medica mondiale is committed to supporting women in their fight for equality and is helping to dismantle patriarchal structures. This is because we believe that women can only truly realise their full potential when they are empowered, and this requires a change in the way we think about equality and rights.

Gender-based equality is crucial to economic growth, which in turn can improve people’s lives. For example, women have a lower risk of suffering from domestic violence if they are able to earn a living. This, in turn, can reduce poverty levels and increase the number of healthy babies born. The same is true for ensuring that women can take on decision-making positions in the workplace, in business and politics.

Ultimately, a society in which women can be as economically active as men will benefit everyone. It will mean that the economy is more competitive, and that it can offer better quality of life to all its citizens.

Nevertheless, the impact of the pandemic will put strains on governments’ financial resources, and this may lead to reduced public spending on health, education and infrastructure in developing countries. This will particularly affect women, who are responsible for most of the household and care work in these countries. It is essential that they are not left behind in this time of crisis. This is why it is vital that governments implement their commitments to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women.