Rights of Women
Attaining equality between women and men and elimination all forms of discrimination against
women are fundamental human rights. Women around the world regularly suffer violations of their
human rights throughout their lives. Understanding the ways in which women experience
discrimination and are denied equality can help develop appropriate strategies to eliminate such
discrimination and achieve equality between women and men.
The international community has addressed women’s human rights and made significant progress in
securing women’s rights across the world. However, important gaps remain and newer forms of
discrimination against them keep emerge. There are Several additional forms of discrimination based
on women’s age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, status, marital status, education, disability and socio-
economic status. All these forms of discrimination must be taken into account when developing
measures and responses to combat discrimination against women.
Protection of Rights of Women under the UN Charter, 1945
Equality between men and women has been among the most fundamental guarantees of human
rights. The Charter of the UN adopted in 1945 reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the
dignity and worth of the human person, and in the equal rights of men and women. Article 1 of the
Charter stipulates that one of the purposes of the UN is to promote and encourage respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or
religion.
Article 13 of the UN Charter which sets out the mandates of the General Assembly, also prohibits
discrimination based on sex. It prescribes that General Assembly shall initiate studies and make
recommendations for the purpose of; promoting international co-operation in the economic, social,
cultural, educational, and health fields and assisting in the realization of human rights and
fundamental freedom without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
The United Nations under Article 55 of the Charter shall promote universal respect for, and
observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction to as to race, sex,
language, or religion.
Numerous International Bill of Human Rights, International Conventions and International
Declarations have been signed, constituted and framed by the United Nations for ensuring universal
gender equality in world scenario.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1948 which is a milestone document in the history of
human rights, The International Covenant on economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights are set out to prohibit discrimination based on
sex and to ensure the protection of fundamental human rights universally.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
1979 defines the right of women to be free from discrimination and sets the core principles for its
protection by establishing agenda for national action to end discrimination and provide the basis for
achieving equality between men and women through ensuring women’s equal access to, and equal
opportunities in, political and public life as well as education, health and employment.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) adopted
in 2015 provides a blue print for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. It seeks to realize
the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
Efforts have been made by the UN in so far as to envisage a world of universal respect for
human dignity, rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination; a world which invests in its
children and in which every child grows up free from violence and exploitation; a world in which
every woman and girl enjoys full gender equality and all legal, social and economic barriers to their
empowerment have been removed and a just, equitable, tolerant, open and socially inclusive world
in which the needs of the most vulnerable are met.
