Human rights have become an instrumental cause for many people that requires strict protections in the modern world. At least that is what all human rights organizations espouse under the Universal declaration of human rights.
Men and women have come to the table to address their civil rights issues and inequalities that were almost always unaddressed in the previous era. The main problem in this situation was that women were the most blatantly ignored gender in the workplace and institutions.

The Injustices Against Women

For centuries, men have always been the main providers, controllers, and owners of women. Hence, they passed laws and policies that usually always put women at a disadvantage over men. These included rights of inheritance, property, and child custody.
In terms of society’s view of women, they were considered to be the sole representatives of a nation’s culture and had to carry that burden. Any action deemed immoral resulted in social ostracization, persecution, and a fatal end. No genuine institution was present to defend their human rights and freedoms.
Women accused of fornication or adultery were given the death penalty without appropriate trial and the judiciary always favored the men. In Indian civilization, widowed women were made to be thrown by the burning pyre of their deceased husbands as part of the Sati process.
The misogyny against women reached a fever pitch during the witch scare in Europe that culminated in the burnings, torture, and executions of women accused of witchcraft. Freedom of choice was out of the question in their livelihood. They were treated as properties of their male guardians until they were transferred to their husbands and soon their sons.
The reason for this was that women did not have adequate protections and marriage was more of a safety requirement so as not to be exploited.

Expansion of Women’s Rights

Throughout history, it has been evident that women have suffered more than men from the medieval period to the current era. If they were not being thrown in pyres alongside their husbands, they were burnt as witches. Many became sex slaves once their men fell in battle. Concubinage was their life at the hands of their captors.
The buildup of both World Wars cost millions of lives of men. This tilted the demographics in the favor of women who began to form a consciousness about their role in society and organizations defending human rights and freedoms.
The suffragettes were instrumental in getting the right to vote which triggered a wave of inspiration among feminists across the world. First-wave feminism garnered women the right to vote and own property without having to receive permission from their husbands. The acceleration of women’s rights after World War II highlighted the lack of investments in women’s education and protection in the third world.
Human rights nonprofits that focused on women’s rights helped address the poverty crisis and forced sex work among their demographic. Second-wave feminism began to address the issue of workplace discrimination, sexual violence, and sexual harassment that had plagued them throughout their lives. Feminist icons such as Gloria Steinem were focused on reproductive rights which had seen success after the passage of Roe v. Wade. However, the backlash from conservatives including ones led by women such as Phyllis Schlafly has lobbied to reverse the verdict. Abortion rights continue to remain a contentious issue among women.
The issue of sex slavery or war rape has also been at the forefront of women’s rights issues. The rapes in Bosnia and the sex slavery of Yazidi women in Iraq have led to the Hague trying war criminals who use rape as a weapon to terrorize their female victims.

Modern Day Feminism

The year 2017 saw the rise of the MeToo movement among women who began to fully confront the issue of sexual harassment and cultural sexism they endured for decades without accountability. In the case of the third world, women’s rights groups experience more difficulties than in developed countries.
The regressive views on women are still rampant in the developing world where issues such as honor killings and domestic violence are ignored. Their status in the justice system is less than that of men and their testament is even lower. Many of feminists in the developing world face major hurdles in trying to confront gender disparities in society. That said, through a unifying message of sisterhood they receive support from international NGOs who lobby the UN to primarily focus on the plight of women in the Eastern hemisphere. Through these efforts, many changes have been made to better the lives of women.
The issues that pertain to women of color or women outside of the Western world are still unaddressed. The racist bias towards white women or women of European descent is also a matter of concern for feminists. Racist disparities between white women and women of color have led to the demand for many changes in the medical, economical, and judicial systems in the Western world.

Current Problems

The issue of basic civil rights, body autonomy, and freedoms are extremely limited in dictatorships. Iran has seen a major revolution through the killing of Mahsa Amini and the constant oppression of women being subject to the regime’s moral laws. The protests have grown for months with many deaths due to the Iranian regime’s attempts to crush them.
Women worldwide have spoken out in solidarity with the Iranian women’s struggles and are actively trying to add their causes as well as causes of women of other crimes as a part of the UN’s agenda. This showcases the lengths and popularity of female solidarity internationally.
The reversal of Roe has led to a new movement of securing reproductive rights among women in America who are actively beginning a movement to codify abortion rights into law. This has garnered a strong growth of politicians and activists trying to cement their rights that will ensure such protections.