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Women Rights
The term women's rights
The term women's rights refers to freedoms and
entitlements of women and girls of all ages.
19th Century restrictions in the U.S.
1. Unable to vote.
2. Single --> could own her own
property.
3. Married --> no control over her
property or her children.
4. Could not initiate divorce.
5. Couldn’t make wills, sign a contract, or
bring suit in court without her husband’s
permission.
The Middle Ages
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According to English Common Law, which
developed from the 12th Century onward all
property which a wife held at the time of a marriage
became a possession of her husband.
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Eventually English courts forbid a husband's
transferring property without the consent of his
wife, but he still retained the right to manage it and
to receive the money which it produced.
The Enlightenment
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In the late 18th Century the question of women's
rights became central to political debates in both
France and Britain.
"French married women suffered from
restrictions on their legal capacity which were
removed only in 1965."
Suffrage - the right to vote

During the 19th Century the right to vote was
gradually extended in many countries and women
started to campaign for their right to vote. In 1893
New Zealand became the first country to give women
the right to vote on a national level. Australia gave
women the right to vote in 1902, while the USA,
Britain and Canada gave women the vote after the
First World War.
Modern movement
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In the subsequent decades women's rights again became an
important issue in the English speaking world. By the 1960s the
movement was called "feminism" or "women's liberation."
Reformers wanted the same pay as men, equal rights in law, and
the freedom to plan their families or not have children at all. Their
efforts were met with mixed results.
In the UK, a public groundswell of opinion in favour of legal
equality had gained pace, partly through the extensive
employment of women in what were traditional male roles during
both world wars.
Working Women

Over the course of the 20th century women
took on greater roles in society such as serving
in government. In the United States some
served as U.S. Senators and others as members
of the U.S. Cabinet. Many women took
advantage of opportunities in higher education.
In the United States at the beginning of the
20th century less than 20% of all college
degrees were earned by women. By the end of
the century this figure had risen to about 50%.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women
The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights adopted in 1948, enshrines
"the equal rights of men and
women", and addressed both the
equality and equity issues.
In 1979 the United Nations General
Assembly adopted the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW )
School House Rock - Suffrage

https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=Kj
afumP1dbU