What are women's rights?

Hey there, change-makers!  Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the work in a group project, but nobody else is helping, and then you don’t even get the credit? That’s what women’s rights have felt like for a long time. Girls and women have often done the hard work but haven’t always gotten the same respect, pay, or opportunities as boys. That’s not fair, and that’s why we talk about women’s rights. But what does “women’s rights” even mean? At its core, women’s rights are the idea that girls and women deserve the same opportunities as boys and men. It doesn’t mean girls want to be above boys; it just means we want equal chances. Like equal pay for equal work, being safe when walking home, and, yes, pockets big enough for our phones. 

Oh, let's get into some history! Did you know that women didn’t always have basic rights like voting or owning property? A long time ago, activists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in the U.S. started fighting for women to have the right to vote. That’s called suffrage. In 1848, they helped organize the Seneca Falls Convention, one of the first big meetings for women’s rights. That kicked off a global movement. Over time, more progress was made. In the United States, a law called Title IX was passed in 1972, ensuring girls had the same chance as boys to go to school and play sports. That was a big win! 

However, something that is important is that women’s rights don’t look the same in every country. In places like Iceland, women have some of the strongest equal pay protections in the world. But in other countries, girls are still fighting just to go to school. For example, in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai risked her life to stand up for girls’ education. Even today, millions of girls around the world are told they can’t learn simply because they’re female. Guess what? Around the world, women still make less money than men for doing the exact same jobs. On average, women earn about 77 cents for every dollar men earn. And when it comes to leadership, women hold fewer seats in government and business. Right now, less than 30% of politicians worldwide are women. That means decisions are often made without girls’ voices in the room. Another huge issue is safety. Around 1 in 3 women worldwide will experience violence in their lifetime. That’s scary and unfair. And in some places, women can’t always make decisions about their own health or futures. Women’s rights include the right to feel safe, healthy, and in control of your own body.

Now, you might wonder why people should care about women’s rights if it doesn’t affect them directly? Here’s the cool part, when women are given equal chances, everyone benefits. It is proven that when women work, economies grow stronger and when women are in politics, governments are more peaceful and fair. Also, when girls are educated, families and communities thrive. So women’s rights aren’t just for women, they’re human rights that make the world better for everyone.

The bottom line is that women’s rights are human rights. That means every girl and every woman deserves fairness, safety, and opportunity. A world that supports women’s rights is a world that supports justice, equality, and hope for all people. And guess what? You’re part of this story. Whether you’re speaking up in class, supporting your friends, or just believing in yourself, you’re helping build a future where women and men share the same opportunities. That’s real change, and it starts with you. 

Now, are you ready to do a fun craft in honor of all of this information you just gained? Look below for a fun journaling activity!

What You Need:

• A notebook, journal, or some blank paper

• Colored pens, markers, or crayons

• Stickers or any fun decorations (optional)

How to Do It:

1. Start with a Thought: Write down what “women’s rights” means to you in one sentence. It can be as simple or as creative as you like!

2. Draw Your Vision: On a new page, draw a picture of a world where everyone has equal rights. What does it look like? Who’s there? What are people doing?

3. Write a Promise to Yourself: Think about one small way you can help make that vision real, like standing up for a friend, learning more, or sharing what you know. Write your promise down.

4. Add a Quote or Slogan: Find or create a favorite feminist quote or slogan that inspires you and decorate it on a page. For example, “Girls can do anything” or “Equality for all.”

5. Make It Yours: Use colors, doodles, or stickers to personalize your journal pages. This is your special place to keep your thoughts, dreams, and plans for making a difference!

Why this activity is AWESOME:

Journaling helps you think about important ideas in your way. Plus, it’s a creative way to remind yourself every day that your voice and actions matter in the fight for women’s rights!

Sources

National Women’s History Museum. Women’s Rights Movement. https://www.womenshistory.org/exhibits/womens-rights-movement. 

Oxford University Press. Women’s Rights. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries, https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/women-s-rights.

UN Women. Gender Equality: Women’s Rights in Review 25 Years after Beijing. United Nations, 2024, https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications. 

World Bank. “Nearly 2.4 Billion Women Globally Don’t Have Same Economic Rights as Men.” World Bank, 1 Mar. 2022, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/03/01/nearly-2-4-billion-women-globally-don-t-have-same-economic-rights-as-men. 

World Economic Forum. Global Gender Gap Report 2024. World Economic Forum, 2024, https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2024.