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Photos: A look at International Women’s Day marches around the world

On International Women’s Day, women around the world celebrated by marching in more than 50 countries , taking off from work to make clear what “ A Day Without A Woman ” would look like and wearing red in solidarity. In New York, a bronze statue of a girl was installed to stare down the iconic  Wall Street Bull  over gender inequality.

The day was first observed in 1908  in New York City, where women marched for suffrage and workplace improvements. After several years of continuous demonstrations across the U.S. and Europe, March 8 was officially designated as International Women’s Day. The date is significant because it was the day a  women’s march in Pretograd , Russia led to the start of the Russian Revolution.

This year, the United Nations used the day to shine a light on the 2030 Agenda , an ambitious plan to ensure girls and boys have equal access to education, that discrimination and violence against women are halted, and that forced marriage and female genital mutilation end.

Below, see photos of International Women’s Day demonstrations from around the world.

women's rights photo essay

Bangladeshi activists and garment workers attend a rally on March 8, outside National Press Club during International Women’s Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo by Zakir Chowdhury/Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

women's rights photo essay

Thousands of demonstrators attend a rally for International Women’s Day on March 8 in Melbourne, Australia. Marchers were calling for de-colonisation of Australia, an end to racism, economic justice for all women and reproductive justice, as well as supporting the struggle for the liberation of all women around the world, inclusive of trans women and sex workers. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

women's rights photo essay

Nigerian women gather on March 8 to protest violation and sexual abuse against women during the World International Women’s Day in Lagos, Nigeria. Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

women's rights photo essay

Costumed women shout slogans during a march on March 8 as part of International Women’s Day in Kiev.  Photo by Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images

women's rights photo essay

Georgian feminist supporters attend a rally on March 8 to mark the International Women’s Day in front of the Georgian parliament in central Tbilisi. Photo by Vano Shlamov/AFP/Getty Images

women's rights photo essay

An activist takes part in “A Day Without a Woman” strike on International Women’s Day on March 8 in Washington. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters.

women's rights photo essay

Palestinian women take part in a demonstration on March 8 to protest against sexual discrimination during the International Women’s Day in front of the unknown soldier’s monument in Gaza City, Gaza. Photo by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

women's rights photo essay

A man and his dog walk past the sculpture of a woman covered in paper and ropes as part of a performance to protest the lack of visibility of women in public spaces, on March 8, International Women’s Day in Oviedo, Spain. The covered statue is “La Pensadora” (The female Thinker) by Spanish artist Jose Luis Fernandez. Photo by Eloy Alonso/Reuters.

women's rights photo essay

A statue of a defiant girl stands facing the Charging Bull sculpture in the Financial District of New York on March 8. State Street Global Advisors, a nearly $2.5 trillion investor and unit within State Street Corp., installed the bronze statue in front of Wall Street’s iconic charging bull as part of its new campaign to pressure companies to add more women to their boards. Photo by Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

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women's rights photo essay

Thank You, Deeply

Dear Deeply Readers,

Welcome to the archives of News Deeply’s Women & Girls Hub. While we paused regular publication of the site on January 22, 2018, and transitioned our coverage to Women’s Advancement Deeply , we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on the Arctic. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors contributors.

We continue to produce events and special projects while we explore where the on-site journalism goes next. If you’d like to reach us with feedback or ideas for collaboration you can do so at [email protected] .

Team Deeply

Welcome to the archives of News Deeply’s Women & Girls Hub. While we paused regular publication of the site on January 22, 2018, and transitioned our coverage to Women’s Advancement Deeply, we are happy to serve as an ongoing public resource on the Arctic. We hope you’ll enjoy the reporting and analysis that was produced by our dedicated community of editors contributors.

Photo Essay: Marching for Women’s Rights in Nairobi

As millions of Americans took to the streets on Saturday, people gathered all over the world to highlight women’s issues in their countries, too. In Kenya, over 700 people came together to call for land rights for women and an end to discrimination and  FGM.

Approx. 4 minutes

women's rights photo essay

NAIROBI , Kenya – On January 21, over 700 people gathered for the Women’s March on Nairobi in Kenya’s Karura Forest, a location significant for its ability to bring Kenyans together to fight for a cause. Over the years, several attempts by private developers to encroach on the land have been successfully thwarted, with the late Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai leading the struggle to preserve the forest until her death in 2011.

As millions of Americans were taking to the streets to call for recognition of the rights of women, ethnic minorities, refugees and immigrants, people with disabilities and the economically impoverished, Kenyans were also demanding their own rights. Organized through the cooperation of a team of Americans and a team of Kenyans, and bringing together many grassroots groups and international NGOs that have previously not worked together, the march in Nairobi aimed to bring attention to the need for reproductive rights, women’s land and inheritance rights and the implementation of the gender-based two-thirds rule in parliament. People also called for an end to sexual harassment and assault, female genital mutilation, the trafficking of women and children, as well as discrimination against the LGBTQ community, sex workers, disabled women, women living with HIV , refugee women and other marginalized groups.

women's rights photo essay

“After [Donald] Trump was elected, there was a need to mobilize globally around the issue of women’s rights,” said Neela Ghoshal, a member of Progressive Americans in Kenya and a researcher on LGBTI rights. “We were concerned to see a president who promoted sexual assault of women through his comments. We felt that his policies would hold back progressive women’s policies already in place. We first saw things through an American lens but soon realized that these issues were affecting Kenyans, too.”

women's rights photo essay

Artist, activist and mother of six Ciro Githunguri, 43, brought one of her sons on the march because “he really wanted to come, and I thought it would be great for him to learn these things from a young age.” As she marched, Githunguri said she appreciated the symbolism of holding Nairobi’s rally in Karura Forest. “Choosing the forest instead of the busy streets was great because I believe women and the earth are very connected,” she said.

women's rights photo essay

“I loved the fact that women were given a chance to talk about their experiences” during the rally, said rights activist Jonah Chinga, 28. “I loved the show of solidarity.”

women's rights photo essay

“Change is long overdue and it sucks to still have to have these protests,” said Wanja Maina, 24, a masters of gender studies graduate. “In my own experience, I have realized that people are still uncomfortable with leaders who are women or disabled, yet they make up more than half of the global population. In future, I would like to see more African men support their women. I would also like to see other women around the world support us like we have supported them.”

women's rights photo essay

After the march, everyone gathered at a picnic site inside the forest to share poetry and music. Playing a traditional wooden instrument, the orutu, musician Labdi Ommes sang the traditional Kenyan song “Winjauru,” which means “Listen to Us,” and Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” “I felt that we need to empower each other and to prove that the power really was within us,” she said.

women's rights photo essay

Imma Reid, 29, an activist with rights group AFRA -Kenya , held up a sign reading “Smash heteronormative oppression.” She said: “I chose these words because I believe that sometimes as women, we acquire certain privileges and forget that we might be oppressing others too by enjoying these. I marched today to make sure LGBTI women who are violated and harassed because of their sexuality are represented.”

women's rights photo essay

“It doesn’t end today,” said Ghoncheh Lee, 34, of Progressive Americans in Kenya. “We should take these messages home with us.”

This story has been updated to reflect official attendance figures for the march in Nairobi.

Self-Injectable Gives Women More Power Over Family Planning

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A Woman's Right to Vote

On February 15, America honors Susan B. Anthony, who spearheaded the woman's suffrage movement. Here's a photo gallery devoted to this American civil rights leader and the many other women who lobbied for the passage of the 19th amendment.

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20 Pictures That Show Just How Powerful The Women's Liberation Movement Was

In the late 1960s through the 1980s, women activists across the nation joined together to demand gender equality and to stand up in the face of a sexist and oppressive patriarchy.

Gabriel H. Sanchez

BuzzFeed News Photo Essay Editor

women's rights photo essay

Women’s liberation rally in New York City on Aug. 26, 1971.

women's rights photo essay

At the Southern Conference Educational Fund office in New York City, members of the New York Radical Women group attend a meeting to plan a protest at the Miss America beauty pageant, 1968.

women's rights photo essay

A woman speaks at a reproductive rights demonstration in Pittsburgh, 1974.

women's rights photo essay

Young men and women at a reproductive rights demonstration in Pittsburgh, 1974.

women's rights photo essay

Patricia Burnett, Detroit’s chapter president of the National Organization for Women, shows off large signs bearing the group’s message in 1970.

women's rights photo essay

Left: Activist alumnae meet female graduates of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, on Sept. 9, 1972. Right: Women demonstrate at the Statue of Liberty in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment on Aug. 10, 1970.

women's rights photo essay

A group of women march under a “Women’s Liberation” banner in New Haven, Connecticut, 1969.

women's rights photo essay

Left: A reproductive rights march in Pittsburgh, 1974. Right: A woman dressed in a space suit marches in a women’s liberation demonstration in New York City, Aug. 26, 1971.

women's rights photo essay

A woman marches with a sign that reads “I Enjoy Being a Dyke” during an LGBT parade through New York City, 1971.

women's rights photo essay

Left: A demonstration for reproductive rights in Pittsburgh, 1974. Right: A feminist demonstration in New York on Aug. 26, 1970.

women's rights photo essay

Opposing views on abortion during a demonstration in Pittsburgh, 1974.

women's rights photo essay

Activists hold a protest banner during a Legalize Abortion demonstration in New York City, 1968.

women's rights photo essay

Police attempt to cut away the chains of protesters at an unidentified location, 1975.

women's rights photo essay

Feminist Gloria Steinem advocates for women’s rights at the Democratic National Convention on Jan. 1, 1972.

women's rights photo essay

Forty-six female employees Newsweek magazine conduct a press conference to announce they are suing the magazine on March 16, 1970. Charging discrimination in jobs and hiring, they said they are “forced to assume a subsidiary role simply because of their sex.” Seated, from left: employees Patricia Lynden, Mary Pleshette, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and ACLU legal director Lucy Howard.

women's rights photo essay

Coretta Scott King talks in Houston of the resolution on minority women’s rights that won the support of the National Women’s Conference in 1977. The resolution declared that minority women suffered discrimination based on both race and sex.

women's rights photo essay

Mrs. Estelle Griswold, left, medical adviser and executive director of the Planned Parenthood Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut, and Mrs. Ernest Jahncke, president of Parenthood League of Connecticut, flash a victory sign as a result of the court’s decision that the birth control law is unconstitutional.

women's rights photo essay

Women participate in a reproductive rights protest in Pittsburgh, 1974.

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  • UN Women HQ

Photo essay: Rural women, human rights

Date: 22 February 2018

Rural women from around the world

She is a rural woman who works from daybreak until sundown and often beyond. She may run a small business or cultivate a field or both to support her family. Long hours are spent collecting water and fuel, and preparing food. She sees to the raising of children. She tends livestock. 

Without rural women and girls, rural communities would not function. Yet women and girls are among the people most likely to be poor, to lack access to assets, education, health care and other essential services, and to be hit hardest by climate change. On almost every measure of development, rural women, because of gender inequalities and discrimination, fare worse than rural men.

The world has committed to upholding the rights of all women and girls. Fulfilling this commitment is particularly urgent in rural areas. Rural women and their organizations are on the move to claim their rights and improve their livelihoods and well-being. They are setting up successful businesses and acquiring new skills, pursuing their legal entitlements and running for office, using innovative agricultural methods and taking advantage of new technologies.

The following exhibit, sponsored by UN Women, highlights some of their issues and shares some of their stories.

“Women’s rights are human rights. But in these troubled times, as our world becomes more unpredictable and chaotic, the rights of women and girls are being reduced, restricted and reversed. Empowering women and girls is the only way to protect their rights and make sure they can realize their full potential.” —United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres

Around the world, the United Nations system stands behind the realization of the rights of rural women, in principle and practice. Upholding these rights is essential to international commitments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Fulfilling the promise of the landmark 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, where the goals include gender equality as well as ending poverty and hunger, achieving decent work for all and combatting climate change, largely depends on empowering rural women and girls.

UN development entities, led by UN Women, back progress towards these objectives through assisting implementation of national and local programmes. These directly engage women and girls in rural areas, supporting their efforts to access all the elements fundamental to their rights and well-being, whether health services or land, financing or climate-smart technologies, among others. 

Each year, the UN system champions the rights of rural women on the International Day for Rural Women. The Commission on the Status of Women, the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, has called for tearing down the barriers to rural women and girls. In 2018, it tackled the challenges and opportunities they face as a priority theme.

The right to a decent standard of living

 In Guinea, one of the least developed countries, rural women have gained opportunities to generate income through cooperatives that grow Moringa. Photo: UN Women/Joe Saade

Around the world, almost a third of women’s work is in agriculture. Much is time and labour intensive, and poorly paid, without the full protection of labour rights.

Empowering rural women in agriculture can unlock change on many fronts. In Guinea, one of the least developed countries, rural women have gained opportunities to generate income through cooperatives that grow Moringa. The vitamin-rich leaves and pods of the tree are in demand by international markets, and important to preserving biodiversity and preventing erosion. Supported by UN Women, cooperative members share ideas and learn new skills, and have emerged as leaders in improving life in their communities.

 UN Women’s Markets for Change Programme, supported by the Government of Australia, helps them form associations that give them a more powerful voice in managing markets. Betty Kwanairara has become a market manager. Together, she and other women have successfully lobbied for measures to make markets safe and clean.   Photo: UN Women/Lauretta Ah Sam

Markets are vibrant hubs of economic activity in many places, providing shoppers with a ready supply of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, grains and other staples. In the Pacific region, up to 90 per cent of vendors are women. They make a living, but hours are long, profits are often low, and conditions difficult. Many come from rural areas and must sleep at the market for days at a stretch, putting them at high risk of gender-based violence and theft.

Women vendors have a right to the full range of protection and support measures that can help make their livelihood a decent one. UN Women’s Markets for Change Programme, supported by the Government of Australia, helps them form associations that give them a more powerful voice in managing markets. Betty Kwanairara has become a market manager. Together, she and other women have successfully lobbied for measures to make markets safe and clean.

Munira Hussein created a business selling products made from goat milk. She provides for her family, including a son with disabilities, and has become an inspiration to her community. Photo: UN Women/Christopher Herwig

Gender discrimination can intersect with other disadvantages in rural communities, which are often limited in access to services, markets, communications and technology. The combination of these factors makes rural women among those most likely to be left behind.

In northern Jordan, an influx of refugees has led to further pressures on limited community resources. UN Women’s Spring Forward for Women programme, funded by the European Commission, has worked with women living in poverty to pursue new sources of income. Munira Hussein created a business selling products made from goat milk. She provides for her family, including a son with disabilities, and has become an inspiration to her community. "Women come to me and ask me about how I started my business. They say they'd like to do the same. I encourage them to do that. Starting a business gives women independence."

“Women come to me and ask me about how I started my business. They say they'd like to do the same. I encourage them to do that. Starting a business gives women independence.” —Munira Hussein, Jordan, portrayed in the photograph

Ho Thi Thuy, 29, left Viet Nam to find a higher paying job at a specialized hydroponic lettuce farm in Malaysia. Photo: UN Women/Staton Winter

For many rural women, limited economic opportunities push them to migrate in search of better work and lives. Although migrant women have a diverse array of skills and experience, continuing demand for domestic and care work in many destination countries means these women often fill such jobs. Many find they are not covered by labour laws or basic social protection measures.

Some women migrants land better-paying jobs, including in more advanced forms of agricultural production. Ho Thi Thuy, 29, left Viet Nam to find a higher paying job at a specialized hydroponic lettuce farm in Malaysia. To make the most of the opportunity, she works whatever overtime she can get at a salary considered quite high for agricultural workers.

Men and women farmers from 12 maize farming cooperatives tap into a mobile platform that lets them accurately map their plots of land and generate a yield forecast – something that was previously very difficult to do. Among other benefits, they can sign contracts with maize buyers, forging stronger links to markets. The platform also sends regular text messages on new business opportunities, agricultural practices and women’s rights.   Photo: UN Women/Franz Stapelberg

Technology has increasingly become a tool for women farmers to improve their livelihoods. Even a simple mobile phone can provide ready access to essential information, such as weather forecasts and market prices, which can help women boost productivity and income.

The “Buy from Women” platform in Rwanda was launched in 2016 by UN Women and the World Food Programme, including through a contributions from the Governments of China and Finland. Over 3,000 men and women farmers from 12 maize farming cooperatives tap into a mobile platform that lets them accurately map their plots of land and generate a yield forecast – something that was previously very difficult to do. Among other benefits, they can sign contracts with maize buyers, forging stronger links to markets. The platform also sends regular text messages on new business opportunities, agricultural practices and women’s rights.

The right to land and productive resources

In Pakistan, Khateeja Mallah was once a landless farmer. A widow with eight children, she had no legal claim to the land she worked or the crops she grew, and often endured harsh treatment from landowners.

Rural women often have unequal access to land and other productive assets needed for income, food and well-being. This can open the door to additional forms of discrimination and even violence.

In Pakistan, Khateeja Mallah was once a landless farmer. A widow with eight children, she had no legal claim to the land she worked or the crops she grew, and often endured harsh treatment from landowners. Today, through assistance from UN Women, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Labour Organization, she finally holds a Land Tenancy Agreement. It upholds her right to farm land, as she proudly puts it, “as far as the eye can see”.

“Now, for the first time in my life I can say something is mine. This land, as far as the eye can see is mine—this paper says so.” —Khateeja Mallah, Pakistan, portrayed in the photograph

 With assistance from UN Women, Musu Junius and Marie Weeks attended Barefoot College solar engineer training in India and have used new skills to electrify their community in Liberia. Behind them, a teacher prepares for evening adult literacy classes made possible by switching on the lights.    Photo: Thomas Dworzak/Magnum Photos for UN Women

Clean, reliable energy improves health and livelihoods, and eases work burdens inside and outside the home. Yet over 1 billion mostly rural people still do not have access to electricity. Towards a new “energy democracy,” renewable, clean energy should be available and affordable to all, and women, including in rural areas, should participate equally in its distribution and control.

Small-scale, low-cost alternatives, particularly in remote areas and poorer communities, can play a vital role in extending power and making energy democracy a reality. With assistance from UN Women, Musu Junius and Marie Weeks attended Barefoot College solar engineer training in India and have used new skills to electrify their community in Liberia. Behind them, a teacher prepares for evening adult literacy classes made possible by switching on the lights.

Mirjana Hemon moved to a rural area in Serbia in the hope that her husband’s failing health would improve. Soon after, he passed away. In possession of orchards and land, she set up a local association of widows and started a business in rural agro-tourism as well as one to produce preserves and traditional drinks using her own fruits and vegetables. Photo: UN Women/Rena Effendi

Laws and legal practices must uphold women’s equal rights to land, and women should be equally represented in all collective decisions on using land and natural resources. Rural women also must be able to acquire skills, finance and technology to make the best use of productive assets.

Mirjana Hemon moved to a rural area in Serbia in the hope that her husband’s failing health would improve. Soon after, he passed away. In possession of orchards and land, she set up a local association of widows and started a business in rural agro-tourism as well as one to produce preserves and traditional drinks using her own fruits and vegetables. Training and a grant from a programme to support gender equality helped her start her business and make it a success.

In Quito, rural women activists from Bolivia and Ecuador gathered to articulate their demands, such as better access to land, credit, training and technology. Photo: UN Women

Women organizing together can claim a full spectrum of economic, political, social and environmental rights, including through steering public policy decisions.

In Quito, rural women activists from Bolivia and Ecuador gathered to articulate their demands, such as better access to land, credit, training and technology. “It is time to recognize rural and Indigenous women that work the land and produce food for the people. Without us the land would be lifeless, that is why public policies should consider us not only because we are women or Indigenous, but because we are pillars of life,” said Felipa Huanca Llupanqui (far left), Executive Secretary of the Indigenous National Confederation of Native Peasant Women from Bolivia.

“It is time to recognize rural and Indigenous women that work the land and produce food for the people.” —Felipa Huanca Llupanqui, Executive Secretary of the Indigenous National Confederation of Native Peasant Women from Bolivia, portrayed in the photograph

The right to live free from violence and harm

In six Indian states, a special education programme supported by UN Women and a local non-governmental organization helps women understand their right to live free from violence and to protect themselves from the scourge of human trafficking.   Photo: UN Women/Shaista Chishty

Rural women are at greater risk of experiencing multiple forms of violence and harmful practices. Violence can occur in homes, places of work, or in public spaces, such as while women and girls collect water or firewood.

In six Indian states, a special education programme supported by UN Women and a local non-governmental organization helps women understand their right to live free from violence and to protect themselves from the scourge of human trafficking.

In Ethiopia, Mulu Melka, 13, raises her hand to answer a question in school. She has twice evaded forced marriage and is determined to finish her education. Photo: UNICEF/Andrew Heavens

Higher levels of poverty, limited access to justice and entrenched discrimination are among many factors that put women and girls in rural areas at increased risk of violence. Rural girls are more likely to become child brides than their urban counterparts worldwide.

In Ethiopia, Mulu Melka, 13, raises her hand to answer a question in school. She has twice evaded forced marriage and is determined to finish her education. "Girls need to be educated so they can be self-reliant and know how to protect themselves," says Mulu, who plans to be a teacher.

“Girls need to be educated so they can be self-reliant and know how to protect themselves.” —Mulu Melka, student, Ethiopia, portrayed in the photograph The right to food security and nutrition

In a remote village in Bangladesh, a young woman sorts rice. Her harvest must last a long time, as the weather usually allows cultivation only once a year.  Photo: UNDP/Jashim Salam

The human right to food underpins all other human rights, and is one in which rural women play a major role as they grow and prepare much of the food consumed by their families. Yet food security and nutrition are increasingly undermined by industrial agriculture, conflict and climate-related shocks.

In a remote village in Bangladesh, a young woman sorts rice. Her harvest must last a long time, as the weather usually allows cultivation only once a year.

Maria Quej San de Moran,  smiles watching her garden grow in her village in Guatemala. 
Photo: WFP/Miguel Vargas

Gender discrimination limits rural women’s rights to food security and nutrition in multiple ways, constraining access to agricultural technology and credit, and to knowledge and essential services.

In seven countries, UN Women, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme are collaborating on a joint programme funded by the Governments of Norway and Sweden. The programme supports women in breaking through discriminatory barriers. They gain adequate food and income, and become empowered farmers, entrepreneurs and agents of change.

One participant is Maria Quej San de Moran, who smiles watching her garden grow in her village in Guatemala.

“With what we cultivate, we support our household income. My husband cultivates corn, beans and yucca for the market. At home, where the whole family participates, we cultivate tomato, cabbage, pepper and indigenous herbs; now we eat better.” —Maria Quej San de Moran, farmer, Guatemala, portrayed in the photograph

Adikor Lopunga Nangiro, farmer, Kenya, sets out to collect  water. Photo: UN Women/Kennedy Okoth

Drought, increasingly severe and common in a changing climate, means much more than water scarcity. For many of the poorest rural women and girls, it requires spending hours a day fetching water instead of on more productive activities. It can lead to higher rates of violence and poverty, hunger and an increased likelihood of dying during childbirth.

Turkana county is one of the most arid areas of Kenya. Several years of inadequate rainfall have pushed coping capacities to the brink. Women not only struggle to collect enough water, but when food is scarce, they eat less than men. UN Women works with Kenya’s National Drought Management Authority to ensure that all interventions take the rights and needs of women and children into account.

“We don’t have anything for lunch and even in the evening, it depends. If we get it, fine, if we don’t, we will still sleep. Whenever we wake up, we do not anticipate any meal. On a good day, we have a single meal.” —Adikor Lopunga Nangiro, farmer, Kenya, portrayed in the photograph

The right to a healthy, educated life

In the DRC, New facilities accommodate women at risk of complication in the last stages of pregnancies so they do not have to travel long distances once labour starts.     Photo: H6 Partnership/Sven Torfinn

Health care for many rural women is out of reach or poor in quality. Privatization can impose additional costs, felt most acutely by the poorest women. Poor health and lack of reproductive rights can compound other deprivations, limiting rural women’s and girls’ well-being and perpetuating gender inequality.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a partnership between five United Nations agencies and the World Bank, known as H6 and funded by the Governments of Canada and Sweden, is improving the chances that rural women will have safe pregnancies and deliveries. Training has improved the skills of midwives. New facilities accommodate women at risk of complication in the last stages of pregnancies so they do not have to travel long distances once labour starts.

In a remote village in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, young women study the national language.  Photo: UNDP/Ari Vitikainen

Education is a cornerstone of individual and social well-being, shaping informed and productive citizens. It should teach the next generation, girls and boys alike, how to read, write and calculate—and how to strive for a more equal world, free of gender discrimination. Schooling should not be sidelined by early marriage or pregnancy, or inaccessible due to barriers such as language or location.

In a remote village in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, young women study the national language.

Lifelong learning helps an older woman in Georgia retool skills that open continued opportunities for income.   Photo: UN Women/Janarbek Amankulov

A number of developing countries are now ageing at a rapid rate, and will be old long before they are rich. Among those most vulnerable to poverty in old age are rural women, who are less likely to have sufficient savings and assets to support themselves. Many live in places where traditional social safety nets provided by families are eroding, including through the migration of younger people to cities.

Rural women have the right to well-being at each stage of life, a principle supported by social protection programmes that ensure basic income and essential health care. Lifelong learning helps an older woman in Georgia retool skills that open continued opportunities for income.

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New Tactics in Human Rights

Inspiring and equipping activists to change the world. join us., search form, the use of photography in advancing human rights.

women's rights photo essay

Conversation Details

  • Arts and cultural resources

Summary available

For brief overview of the topic, read our blog post,  10 Best Practices for NGOs to Consider When Working with Photographers and Photography .

Photography is a powerful tool that can create awareness and effect change. The visual narrative created through photographs can move individuals to a place and understanding of people, geographies, and events that would otherwise be impossible. Used as a tool to document, educate, move, and inform, photographs have the ability to be a powerful resource in the efforts of human rights practitioners when used effectively and ethically.

New Tactics in Human Rights through its online conversation, The Use of Photography in Advancing Human Rights discusses how human rights organizations can utilize photography to tell a story, examine the best practices for the ethical use of photography, and outline how to work with photographers in the field for optimal outcomes.

Tactical examples shared

  • Importance of the integrity of the images – Caesar torture evidence file.
  • The photographer should have informed freedom.
  • Organizations should select photographers with experience in dealing with sensitive subjects.
  • Vlad Sokhin’s photo essay, “Crying Meri: Violence Against Women in Papua New Guinea,”  led to legislative action to protect women’s rights in Papua New Guinea.
  • Greg Constantine’s advocacy using photo essays to highlight the plight of stateless people – Project Nowhere People.
  • PROOF’s exhibition entitled The Legacy of Rape.
  • In Nepal, Nayan Tara Gurang’s photos and 2 of the testimonies were brought to the UN Human Rights commission as evidence against the perpetrators by  Trial, a Swiss non-governmental organization.
  • Women survivors in Colombia.
  • Legal prosecution of sexual violence in conflict ( www.theprosecutorsmovie.com ).
  • Purpose of image and agenda of organization are important considerations.
  • Gilles Peress’s photos
  • Photography exhibition by Christian Holst.
  • Children of Syria
  • “The Price of Precious”, documenting conflict minerals and mining in Congo, led to future collaborations between humanitarian groups working in Congo and providers of medical supplies. 
  • “House of Cards: Rebuilding and Sustenance” – documents local responses to the housing crises.
  • “Chicago and the Food Chain” – documents local responses to food access.
  • “Sanctuary and Sustenance” launched in 11 cities on World Refugee Day.
  • Advocacy strategies
  • Community of Practitioners on Accountability and Social Action in Health (COPASAH) ( www.copasah.net )
  • In South Asia (India), capacity building of 30 community level practitioners from six different states was done using accessible technology.
  • Importance of editing and sequencing.
  • Photography in research.

Photography as a Visual Narrative

It is important to maintain the integrity of the photographs, the metadata and the hardware used for taking the photographs as these will be subject to scrutiny. For the purpose of using photos as evidence, it is essential that RAW files are produced to withstand investigation. For images intended for publication, adjustments such as ‘toning’ are common.

Hiring an experienced photographer is important as knowing what to shoot to create a visual narrative is a skill developed by experience. Placing stories is equally important as developing stories for organizations seeking to bring important stories to the public arena. To capture the best images, the photographer ought to be given informed freedom .  Organizations are encouraged to be flexible in respect of this to produce better results for all. Compelling photographs have resulted in legislative action ( Vlad Sokhin’s photo essay, “Crying Meri: Violence Against Women in Papua New Guinea ). It is also important for organizations to work together and share outstanding photographs to build community support to leverage and push for legislative action, and also as a platform/advocacy tool to galvanize action.

Editing and sequencing are important as it affects the efficacy of the photographs. Framing the issue intended to be highlighted is also important. At times, re-framing the issues is necessary to make it more public friendly.

Ethical Considerations

Participants to the conversation discussed that human rights photography need not be impartial, however it has to be honest. Photographers should not alter the conditions under which they operate but navigate them with respect. If at all, any influence a photographer might have on their surroundings must be exerted after first building some sort of relationship and understanding with their subjects. There should be empathy for the subject.

The best human rights images are made by photographers who are passionately engaged and committed to present the truth as best they can. Generally, in the context of human rights, the audience tend to favor the same side as the photographer and exhibiting organization.

Best Practices Working with Photographers and Photography

An organization's approach to their field work  is reflected in the way in which they hire and work with media makers. Organizations should trust and give the photographer informed freedom to present the truth in its best possible form. Organizations should give photographers the liberty to ask questions, pursue curiosity, and respond positively to stories that defy conventional wisdom. This sometimes uncovers human issues that would otherwise normally go unnoticed .

At times, the experience of the photographer as a storyteller is not always recognized. The best use of photography in advocacy campaigns comes when a multi-disciplined team is working together - research, campaign, communications , media and the photographer.   A photographer who understands the issues and the goals of the non-governmental organization stands in a better position to present photos to advance the cause of the organization. Photography is currently being utilized more in  research as photos are being used as visual evidence to support text based reports. ( http://features.hrw.org/features/Unravelling_central_african_republic/in... ).

Negotiating security parameters are tricky for photographers as most freelance photographers cannot afford the type of serious, reliable insurance that covers them for injury to life and limb in hostile environments. However there have been instances that  important images are taken in areas that are out of the security parameters imposed. It is also important for organizations to remunerate photographers accordingly . 

http://time.com/3788100/pete-muller/

http://www.nowherepeople.org/index.php#mi=1&pt=0&pi=6&s=0&p=0&a=0&at=0

http://www.artworksprojects.org/our-projects/thechildrenofsyria/

http://www.rightsexposureproject.com/the-rights-exposure-project/31301-t...

www.theprosecutorsmovie.com

www.copasah.net

http://www.copasah.net/uploads/1/2/6/4/12642634/innovative_use_of_ict_in...

http://www.copasah.net/january---march-2015.html

http://thephotoessay.com/insideout/about.html

http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/foreign-ngos-under-increa...

http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/03/for-ngos-in-china-a-sense...

http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/05/15/dying-to-breathe-a-short

http://features.hrw.org/features/Unravelling_central_african_republic/in...

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/world/asia/in-china-civic-groups-freedom-and-followers-are-vanishing.html?smid=tw-share&_r=2&referrer=

Photo © 2014 Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi

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Collection Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman's Party

Featured content, about this collection.

This collection includes 448 digitized photographs selected from approximately 2,650 print photographs in the Records of the National Woman's Party, a collection of more than 438,000 items, housed in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.  The images span from 1875 to 1938 but largely were created in the years between 1913 and 1922. The images depict the tactics used by the militant wing of the suffrage movement in the United States—including picketing, petitioning, pageants, parades and demonstrations, hunger strikes and imprisonment---as well as individual portraits of organization leaders and members. The photographs document the National Woman's Party's push for ratification of the 19th Amendment as well as its later efforts for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Founded in 1913 as the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage (CU), the National Woman's Party (NWP) introduced tactics and strategies to the American women's suffrage campaign that were inspired by its leaders' experiences with the militant wing of the British suffrage movement ( see Historical Overview ). The NWP sought to attract publicity, generate public interest, and pressure government officials to support women's suffrage in order to win passage of a federal amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing women the right to vote. Its tactics included holding open-air demonstrations; distributing pamphlets; organizing elaborate parades and pageants; circulating suffrage petitions; mounting billboards on public highways; orchestrating nationwide automobile and train tours of suffrage speakers; picketing the White House and congressional office buildings; burning watch fires; conducting hunger strikes; and facing arrest, imprisonment, and force-feedings. After suffrage was achieved, the NWP launched a campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment and dedicated itself to achieving social, political, and economic equality for women throughout the world.

Because so many of the NWP's activities were designed to attract attention to its campaigns for suffrage and equal rights, there is a rich photographic archive within the NWP records, which was used by the organization for publicity purposes. In some cases, the NWP published the images in its weekly journals– The Suffragist (November 1913- January 1921) and Equal Rights (February 1923-November 1954)–or in its annual reports, postcards, and other illustrated publications. In other instances, the NWP distributed copies of the images across the country to various local newspapers to publicize the activities of area women, to promote an upcoming lecture by a visiting speaker, or to accompany a news story about a regional suffrage or post-suffrage event. In still other cases, the NWP received file copies of images taken by independent news services featured in contemporary news accounts of NWP protests, demonstrations, and other activities in Washington and nationwide. Since these images were part of a working photo morgue, they sometimes have crop markings or other notations on the front or verso and occasionally exhibit signs of repeated handling and use.

Throughout its history, the NWP frequently requested that its members submit photographs of themselves. The party also collected portraits of 19th-century suffrage pioneers, international feminists, and women active in related reform movements or profiled in an NWP publication. Collectively, these portraits form a significant part of the overall collection. Of the 2,650 images in the NWP records, approximately 60 percent–or 1,590 images, are formal or informal portraits, representing more than 1,015 individual women. A list of portraits (PDF) identifies the number of images per woman and the container numbers where they are located in the NWP records. The digitized portraits are hyperlinked.

NWP correspondence indicates that the organization frequently alerted the media or hired its own photographers to cover events and activities with the likely intention of distributing images to news agencies. The collection often contains multiple copies of the same photograph, each affixed with an identical caption, as if "ready" to be mailed out for distribution or publication. Caption information is recorded in the bibliographic records, but the captions themselves are not included in the digital images.

Also noted in the bibliographic records are citations to published versions of the images in The Suffragist and Equal Rights , and in two books published by NWP members shortly after ratification of the 19th Amendment in August 1920: Doris Stevens, Jailed For Freedom (New York: Boni and Liveright, 1920) and Inez Haynes Irwin, The Story of the Woman's Party (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1921).

Human Rights Careers

5 Women’s Rights Essays You Can Read For Free

Women and girls are the most disenfranchised group in the world. Even in places where huge strides have been made, gaps in equality remain. Women’s rights are important within the realm of human rights. Here are five essays exploring the scope of women’s rights, which you can download or read for free online:

“A Vindication on the Rights of Woman” – Mary Wollstonecraft

Mother of Mary Shelley, who wrote the novel Frankenstein, Mary Wollstonecraft is a juggernaut of history in her own right, though for a different reason. Self-educated, Wollstonecraft dedicated her life to women’s education and feminism. Her 1792 essay A Vindication on the Rights of Woman represents one of the earliest writings on women’s equality. In the Western world, many consider its arguments the foundation of the modern women’s rights movement. In the essay, Wollstonecraft writes that men are not  more reasonable or rational than women, and that women must be educated with the same care, so they can contribute to society. If women were left out of the intellectual arena, the progress of society would stop. While most of us believe the idea that women are inherently inferior to men is very outdated, it’s still an accepted viewpoint in many places and in many minds. Wollstonecraft’s Vindication is still relevant.

“The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” – Audre Lorde

Poet and activist Audre Lorde defied the boundaries of traditional feminism and cried out against its racist tendencies. While today debates about intersectional feminism (feminism that takes into account race, sexuality, etc) are common, Audre Lorde wrote her essay on women’s rights and racism back in 1984. In “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House,” Lorde explains how ignoring differences between women – whether its race, class, or sexuality – halts any real change. By pretending the suffering of women is “all the same,” and not defined by differences, white women actually contribute to oppression. Lorde’s essay drew anger from the white feminist community. It’s a debate that feels very current and familiar.

“How to convince sceptics of the value of feminism” – Laura Bates

Laura Bates founded the Everyday Sexism Project website back in 2012. It documents examples of everyday sexism of every degree and has become very influential. In her essay from 2018, Bates takes reader comments into consideration over the essay’s three parts. This unique format allows the essay to encompass multiple views, just not Bates’, and takes into consideration a variety of experiences people have with skeptics of feminism. Why even debate skeptics? Doesn’t that fuel the trolls? In some cases, yes, but skeptics of feminism aren’t trolls, they are numerous, and make up every part of society, including leadership. Learning how to talk to people who don’t agree with you is incredibly important.

“Why Can’t A Smart Woman Love Fashion?” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the most influential voices in women’s rights writing. Her book, We Should All Be Feminists , is a great exploration of 21st-century feminism. In this essay from Elle, Adichie takes a seemingly “small” topic about fashion and makes a big statement about independence and a woman’s right to wear whatever she wants. There is still a lot of debate about what a feminist should look like, if wearing makeup contributes to oppression, and so on. “Why Can’t A Smart Woman Love Fashion?” is a moving, personal look at these sorts of questions.

“The male cultural elite is staggeringly blind to #MeToo. Now it’s paying for it.” – Moira Donegan

There are countless essays on the Me Too Movement, and most of them are great reads. In this one from The Guardian, Moira Donegan highlights two specific men and the publications that chose to give them a platform after accusations of sexual misconduct. It reveals just how pervasive the problem is in every arena, including among the cultural, intellectual elite, and what detractors of Me Too are saying.

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11 Approaches to Alleviate World Hunger 

About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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Climate change is a women’s issue

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Video: Sky News/Film Image Partner

We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all. Wangari Maathai Environmental activist

The planet is under threat

From human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to the overexploitation of the earth’s natural resources, unsustainable production and consumption patterns pose a risk to all of humanity.

Photo: Yuyao city, Zhejiang province, 2013. Credit: Xinhua / eyevine/Redux

The world’s poorest are often hardest hit

A changing climate affects everyone – but it’s the world’s poorest and those in vulnerable situations, especially women and girls, who bear the brunt of environmental, economic and social shocks.

Photo: Bangladesh, 2011. Credit: Kadir van Lohuizen/NOOR/Redux

Climate-induced disasters exacerbate entrenched gender inequalities

Often, women and girls are the last to eat or be rescued; face greater health and safety risks as water and sanitation systems become compromised; and take on increased domestic and care work as resources disappear.

Photo: Haiti, 2016. Credit: UN/MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi

Climate's impact

women's rights photo essay

In many developing countries, women and girls often carry the burden of water and fuel collection and food provision.

Let’s look closer at an example

Photo: Jammu, Kashmir, India, 2016. Credit: Jaipal Singh/EPA

Combined hours spent fetching water every day in 25 sub-Saharan African countries

Data: Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation , 2012 Update, UNICEF, WHO

women's rights photo essay

This is my routine three times a day…I have to fetch water for our use and for the goats and sheep too, as they are too weak to walk

Paulina Epung’u

Mother of seven in Kenya’s drought-stricken District Turkana

Photo: Kenya, 2017. Credit: UN Women/Kennedy Okoth

Climate change increases the risk of droughts

Droughts can destroy crops, soils, flora and fauna, intensify food scarcity, and worsen the situation of women and girls, particularly in already fragile places.

Photo: Llapallapani, Bolivia, 2016. Credit: Josh Haner/The New York Times/Redux

The various consequences of drought

  • Violence against women
  • Maternal deaths
  • Child Marriage
  • Malnutrition
  • Illegal land grabbing
  • Sanitation & hygiene
  • Living conditions
  • Food security
  • Fuel supplies
  • School attendance
We have no other spare or replacement planet. We have only this one, and we have to take action. Berta Cáceres Honduran indigenous and environmental rights activist

Implementing change

The time to act is now.

As early adopters of new agricultural techniques, first responders in crises, entrepreneurs of green energy, or decision-makers at home, women are agents of change who must equally be part of the solution towards a sustainable future.

Here’s how UN Women and its partners are paving the way

Photo: Mali, 2013. Credit: World Bank/Dominic Chavez

women's rights photo essay

Sustainable solutions

The situation

Today, greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels remain primary energy sources. Women disproportionately bear the burden of energy poverty.

1 . 1  billion

People lacking access to electricity.

3  billion

People still cooking and heating their homes with solid fuels.

4 . 3  million

Deaths linked to household air pollution generated by solid fuels in 2012.

Data: Access to electricity , The World Bank; World Health Statistics 2017, Monitoring Health for the SDGs , World Health Organization. Photo: Vietnam, 2011. Credit: UN Photo/Kibae Park

women's rights photo essay

The response

UN Women and UN Environment have joined forces under a global programme to promote women’s entrepreneurship for sustainable energy. The programme will initially roll out in Senegal, Morocco, Myanmar, India, Indonesia and Bolivia.

Women in India estimated to gain access to clean, renewable energy as part of current programme efforts

Photo: Liberia, 2015. Credit: Thomas Dworzak/Magnum Photos for UN Women

women's rights photo essay

Gender-responsive action

Parts of Africa and Western Asia are confronting a humanitarian crisis brought on by drought.

3 . 4  million

People lacking food security out of the 5.6 million affected by drought.

3 6 , 9 8 8

Pregnant and lactating women requiring treatment for malnutrition.

Data: 2017 Flash Appeal, September-December 2017 , ReliefWeb;  Kenya: US$106 million needed to step up drought response in the critical months ahead , UN OCHA. Photo: Yemen, 2016. Credit: Tyler Hicks/The New York Times/Redux

women's rights photo essay

UN agencies have mobilized to provide shelter, water, food, sanitation, emergency relief and protection services. In Kenya, for instance, UN Women is working with the government’s drought agency to address women’s unique needs.

$ 1 0 6  million

2017 flash appeal by 46 humanitarian agencies to reach 1.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of drought in Kenya

Data: 2017 Flash Appeal, September-December 2017 , ReliefWeb;  Kenya: US$106 million needed to step up drought response in the critical months ahead , UN OCHA. Photo: Kenya, 2015. Credit: Dai Kurokawa/EPA

women's rights photo essay

Climate resilience

Global warming, rising temperatures and sea levels, and extreme weather events are threatening island nations and coastal communities, putting the livelihoods of millions at risk.

Additional climate-related deaths per year expected between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress.

Data: Climate change and health , World Health Organization. Photo: Texas, USA, 2017. Credit: Andrew Burton/The New York Times/Redux

women's rights photo essay

In Seychelles, women-led Wildlife Clubs, supported by a UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme, are teaching future generations about mangrove conservation and ocean sustainability. In Bangladesh, UN Women has strengthened disaster response systems across the country’s 10 most climate-vulnerable districts.

Bangladeshi women trained under UN Women- supported efforts to respond to disasters.

Credit: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Together, we can achieve a sustainable future for all.

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American View

Photo Essay: The Obama White House and Women’s Rights

White House Council on Women and Girls

On March 11, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls to keep an eye on how every government agency is addressing the challenges confronted by women of all ages. Before signing, he spoke about the women in his life:

“I sign this order not just as a President, but as a son, a grandson, a husband, and a father, because growing up, I saw my mother put herself through school and follow her passion for helping others. But I also saw how she struggled to raise me and my sister on her own, worrying about how she’d pay the bills and educate herself and provide for us. I saw my grandmother work her way up to become one of the first women bank vice presidents in the state of Hawaii, but I also saw how she hit a glass ceiling – how men no more qualified than she was kept moving up the corporate ladder ahead of her. I’ve seen Michelle, the rock of the Obama family – (laughter) – juggling work and parenting with more skill and grace than anybody that I know. But I also saw how it tore at her at times, how sometimes when she was with the girls she was worrying about work, and when she was at work she was worrying about the girls. It’s a feeling that I share every day.”

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

The first piece of legislation which President Obama signed, only 10 days after taking office, was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, to make it easier for people to get the pay they deserve – regardless of their gender, race, or age. The President described Lilly Ledbetter, after whom the act is named, as “just a good hard worker who did her job – and she did it well – for nearly two decades before discovering that for years, she was paid less than her male colleagues for doing the very same work.”

White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at the White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility, hosted by the President, First Lady, and the White House Council on Women and Girls on March 31, 2010, to discuss the importance of creating workplace practices that allow America’s working men and women to meet the demands of their jobs without sacrificing the needs of their families. “Flexible policies actually make employees more – not less – productive,” said Mrs. Obama. “Instead of spending time worrying about what’s happening at home, employees have the support and the peace of mind they need to concentrate at work which is good for their families – and the bottom line.”

President Obama emphasized, “Workplace flexibility isn’t just a women’s issue. It’s an issue that affects the well-being of our families and the success of our businesses.” He added, “It affects the strength of our economy – whether we’ll create the workplaces and jobs of the future that we need to compete in today’s global economy.”

In conjunction with the forum, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers released a report discussing the economic benefits of workplace flexibility: reduced absenteeism, lower turnover, improved health of workers, and increased productivity. The analysis is available online here .

Women of Courage Awards

First lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton honored women human rights activists from around the world with this year’s Women of Courage awards at a special ceremony March 10, 2010 at the State Department. “These 10 women have overcome personal adversity, threats, arrest, and assault to dedicate themselves to activism for human rights,” said Melanne Verveer, the State Department’s first-ever ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues. “From striving to give more voice to politically underrepresented women in Afghanistan to documenting human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, these heroic individuals have made it their life’s work to increase freedom and equality in the world.”

Michelle Obama lauded the awardees for taking risks and facing hardships few people are willing to endure. She noted that among the invited guests in the room were young women from a local school and from the White House mentoring program, which pairs young people from area high schools with White House staff mentors for a year.

“Listen closely,” Obama told the young women, “because if these women can endure relentless threats, then surely you can all keep going … None of you are too young to start making a difference.” She urged the young American women to take inspiration from the Women of Courage awardees.

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138 Women’s Rights Research Questions and Essay Topics

🏆 best topics related to women’s rights, ⭐ simple & easy essay topics on women’s issues, 📌 most interesting research topics on women’s issues, 👍 good women’s rights research paper topics, ❓ research questions about women’s rights.

Women’s rights essays are an excellent way to learn about the situation of the female gender throughout the world and demonstrate your knowledge.

You can cover historical women’s rights essay topics, such as the evolution of girl child education in various countries and regions or the different waves of the feminism movement.

Alternatively, you can study more current topics, such as the status of women in Islam or the debate about whether women’s rights apply to transgender women.

In either case, there is a multitude of ideas that you can express and discuss in your paper to make it engaging and thought-provoking. However, you should not neglect the basic aspects of writing an essay, especially its structure and presentation.

The thesis statement is critical to your essay’s structure, as it has to be at the center of each point you make. It should state the overall message or question of your paper comprehensively but concisely at the same time.

Afterwards, every point you make should directly or indirectly support the claim or answer the question, and you should make the relationship explicit for better clarity.

It is good practice to make the thesis a single sentence that does not rely on context, being fully self-sufficient, but avoids being excessively long.

As such, writing a good thesis is a challenging task that requires care and practice. Do not be afraid to spend additional time writing the statement and refining it.

It is beneficial to have a framework of how you will arrange topics and formulate your points so that they flow into one another and support the central thesis before you begin writing.

The practice will help you arrange transitional words and make the essay more coherent and connected as opposed to being an assortment of loosely associated statements.

To that end, you should write an outline, which deserves a separate discussion. However, the basics are simple: write down all of the ideas you want to discuss, discard the worst or fold them into other, broader topics until you have a handful left, and organize those in a logical progression.

Here are some additional tips for your structuring process:

  • Frame the ideas in your outline using self-explanatory and concise women’s rights essay titles. You can then use them to separate different points in your essay with titles that correspond to outline elements. The outline itself will effectively become a table of contents, saving you time if one is necessary.
  • Try to keep the discussion of each topic self-contained, without much reference to other matters you discussed in the essay. If there is a significant relationship, you should devote a separate section to it.
  • Do not forget to include an introduction and a conclusion in your paper. The introduction familiarizes the reader with the topic and ends with your thesis statement, setting the tone and direction of the essay. The conclusion sums up what you have written and adds some concluding remarks to finish. The introduction should not contain facts and examples beyond what is common knowledge in the field. The conclusion may not introduce new information beyond what has been stated in the essay.

You can find excellent women’s rights essay examples, useful samples, and more helpful tips on writing your essay at IvyPanda, so visit whenever you are having trouble or would like advice!

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  • Women in New France: Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities However, the development of New France was quite distinct due to peculiarities of the gender roles in the North America and France.
  • Women’s Family and Social Responsibilities and Rights The uniqueness of Addams and Sanger’s approach to discussing the rights of females is in the fact that these authors discuss any social responsibilities of women as the key to improving their roles in the […]
  • Women’s Rights in the Great Depression Period The pursuit of the workplace equality and the protection of women from unfair treatment by the employers were quite unsuccessful and slow due to the major division in the opinions.
  • Women’s Roles and Rights in the 18-19th Century America We can only do the simplest work; we cannot have a good job because that is the men’s domain, and they have the necessary training to do it.
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  • The Women of the Veil: Gaining Rights and Freedoms The author chides the activities of the Western colonies in Afghanistan in restoring the rights of the women of the veil.
  • The Role of African American Women in the Civil Right Movement The role of women in the Civil Rights Movement started to change in the 1960s. Women in the Civil Rights Movement: Trailblazers and Torchbearers.
  • Hip-Hop Music and the Role of Women in It: Fight for Women’s Rights in Society While looking at the various roles of women in hip hop and rap, it is also important to note that the way women are presented has various effects on society.
  • Gender Studies: Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia This paper will review the a issue of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of four different groups including the modern Saudi women, traditional Saudi women, Government officials, and international women’s rights organizations.
  • African-American Women and the Civil Rights Movement The key factors that left the Black women unrecognized or led to recognition of just a few of them as leaders are class, race and gender biases.
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  • Women’s Rights – Contribution of E. Cady Stanton and S.B. Anthony The first significant and most important move was made by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, on the other hand, was born in a Quaker family and her father was also quite a successful […]
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  • Reform-Women’s Rights and Slavery The colonizers felt that the movement was threatening their business and status in the society and began to ridicule and attack the families of the abolitionists.
  • Women’s Role in Contemporary Korea The effort of women to work in professional and high positions in different sectors, the government decided to boost their effort and maintain their morale.
  • Non Governmental Organization of Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights Development and Peace In most cases the rights of women which are mainly suppressed include the right to own property, the right to work or hold a public office, the right of receiving education, the right to vote […]
  • The Development of Women’s Rights However, she cannot agree to such distribution of the roles, and she calls upon all people to look again at the situation, connected to women’s rights, and provide all women with a chance to participate […]
  • Jane Cunningham Croly: Fighting for Women Rights The problem of women inequality with men had been considered in the society and Jane Cunningham Croly was one of those who wanted to contribute to the movement, and her journalistic activity was that measure.
  • Women’s Suffrage Discussion The entrenchment of equal rights of women and men and more noticeably the right of every American woman to vote came into being after the enactment of the nineteenth amendment.
  • Disclosing the Aspects of Female Authorship as Presented in Woolf’s Professions for Women and Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Right of Woman In their works called A Vindication of the Right of Woman and Professions of Women respectively, they express their vigorous desire to liberate women from the professional taboos to enter female authorship imposed by the […]
  • Power of Women’s Rights How the Anti-Slavery Movement Challenge Established Notions of Manhood and Womanhood Kathryn Kish Sklar’s general idea in the book is to enlighten people on the role of women in the society during the 19th century, […]
  • Afghan Women and Violation of Their Rights It is for this reason that the Taliban have been the party mostly blamed for the mistreatment of women in the country. The U.S.has the necessary resources to ensure that this is achieved therefore guaranteeing […]
  • Did Flappers Have a Positive Effect on Women’s Rights in America in the 1920s?
  • Abigail Adams’ Inspiring Rebellion for Women’s Rights
  • The Power of the Internet and Women’s Rights in Guatemala
  • Pencils and Bullets Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
  • Women’s Rights in Supreme Court Decisions of the 1960’s and 1970’s
  • Women’s Rights: A Path into the Society to Achieve Social Liberation
  • The Taliban: Deprivers of Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
  • Henrik Ibsen’s Description of Women’s Rights as Depicted in His Play, A Doll’s House
  • Perceptions on The Islamic Practice of Veiling: Relevance to the Quest for Women’s Rights
  • The Effects of Christianity on Women’s Rights in China
  • Women’s Rights in the 1920’s and Examples in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
  • Pornography and Feminist Fight for Women’s Rights
  • The Progression of Women’s Rights from the Early 20th Century
  • Islamic Head Scarf: Women’s Rights and Cultural Sensibilities
  • The Women’s Rights Movement in England: 18th Century and Beyond
  • Comparing Cultures: the Development of Women’s Rights in China and Saudi Arabia
  • Mary Wollstonecraft and the Early Women’s Rights Movement
  • The Progression of Women’s Rights in the Middle East
  • Elizabeth Stanton’s Impact on Women’s Rights Movement
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  • Women’s Rights Within A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
  • Every Woman Has Her Day: The Women’s Rights Movement in 19th Century
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  • Analysis of the View of Opinions of Authors Advocating for Women’s Rights
  • Abolition of Slavery is Conducive to Women’s Rights Movement
  • Women’s Rights Violations in Afghanistan
  • Feminism and Women’s Rights in Post Colonial Africa and France
  • Social Justice in America: Women’s Rights
  • Horace Walpole and Samuel Johnson, Champions of Women’s Rights
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  • Rhetorical Analysis of Hillary Clinton’s Speech, Women’s Rights Are Human Rights
  • Euripides Support of Women’s Rights
  • Women’s Rights in Afghanistan 1996 to the Present
  • Women’s Rights & Their Impact on the Development of Iran
  • Women’s Rights Between 1750 and 1914
  • Exploring The Women’s Rights Movement With Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O´Conner
  • Progressive Era: The Era of Immigration, Race, and Women’s Rights
  • Women’s Rights in the United States in the 1700s
  • Which Countries Violate Women’s Rights?
  • What Was the Aim of the Women’s Movement?
  • How Did the Anti-Slavery Movement Contribute to the Women’s Rights Movement?
  • Who Were the 4 Main Leaders of the Women’s Rights Movement?
  • How Does Gender Inequality Affect Women’s Rights?
  • Who Fought for Women’s Right to Work?
  • What Was the Biggest Women’s Rights Movement?
  • What Are the Colors for Women’s Rights?
  • Why Women’s Rights Lost Ground at the End of World War Two?
  • What Is the Role of Lesbians in the Women’s Movement?
  • How Far Women’s Rights Have Come?
  • What Laws Help Women’s Rights?
  • How Were the Abolition and Women’s Rights Movements Similar?
  • What Are the Most Important Events in Women’s Rights History?
  • Who Is Responsible for Women’s Rights?
  • What Is the History of Women’s Rights?
  • What Were 3 Major Events in the Women’s Rights Movement?
  • How Margaret Fuller and Fanny Fern Used Writing as a Weapon for Women’s Rights?
  • How Did Race Impact African American Women’s Experiences During the Women’s Suffrage Movement?
  • What Was the Cause of the First Woman’s Rights Convention?
  • Why Is Education Important for Women’s Rights?
  • How Are Women’s Rights Linked to Economic Development?
  • When Did the Women’s Rights Movement Start and End?
  • Why Did the Women’s Rights Movement Emerge in the USA During the 1950S and 1960S?
  • What Are Women’s Cultural Rights?
  • Who Was the First Black Women’s Rights Activist?
  • When Was the First Female Vote?
  • What Was the Movement for Women’s Rights in the 1800S?
  • Who Was the Black Woman Who Fought for Women’s Rights?
  • Who Was the Biggest Women’s Rights Activist?
  • Civil Rights Movement Questions
  • Gender Inequality Research Topics
  • Women’s Suffrage Essay Ideas
  • Childbirth Titles
  • Gender Discrimination Research Topics
  • Motherhood Ideas
  • Personal Identity Paper Topics
  • Reproductive Health Essay Titles
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IvyPanda. (2024, March 1). 138 Women’s Rights Research Questions and Essay Topics. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/womens-rights-essay-examples/

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IvyPanda . 2024. "138 Women’s Rights Research Questions and Essay Topics." March 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/womens-rights-essay-examples/.

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103 Women���s Rights Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Women'''s rights have come a long way over the years, but there is still much work to be done in order to achieve full gender equality. Writing essays on women'''s rights is a great way to raise awareness about the issues that women face and to advocate for change. If you are looking for inspiration for your next essay on women'''s rights, here are 103 topic ideas and examples to get you started:

  • The history of women'''s rights movements
  • The impact of the #MeToo movement on women'''s rights
  • Gender discrimination in the workplace
  • The wage gap between men and women
  • Reproductive rights and access to healthcare
  • Women'''s rights in developing countries
  • The role of women in politics
  • The portrayal of women in the media
  • Violence against women and the need for stricter laws
  • The importance of education for women'''s empowerment
  • The intersectionality of women'''s rights and race
  • The role of religion in shaping women'''s rights
  • Women'''s rights in the LGBTQ+ community
  • The impact of social media on women'''s rights activism
  • The role of men in supporting women'''s rights
  • The effects of globalization on women'''s rights
  • Women'''s rights in the criminal justice system
  • The representation of women in literature and art
  • The impact of colonialism on women'''s rights
  • The role of women in the environmental movement
  • The relationship between women'''s rights and economic development
  • The challenges faced by women in STEM fields
  • The importance of reproductive rights for women'''s autonomy
  • The impact of the #BlackLivesMatter movement on women of color
  • The role of women in the labor movement
  • The impact of war and conflict on women'''s rights
  • The need for better representation of women in government
  • The impact of social norms on women'''s rights
  • The role of education in preventing gender-based violence
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women'''s rights
  • The importance of intersectional feminism in advancing women'''s rights
  • The role of women in the fight against climate change
  • The impact of the #SayHerName movement on women of color
  • The role of women in the disability rights movement
  • The impact of reproductive rights on women'''s economic empowerment
  • The impact of colonialism on indigenous women'''s rights
  • The role of women in the anti-war movement
  • The intersectionality of women'''s rights and disability rights

As you can see, there are countless topics to explore when it comes to women'''s rights. Whether you choose to focus on historical events, current movements, or future challenges, writing essays on women'''s rights is a powerful way to advocate for gender equality and inspire change. So pick a topic that resonates with you, do some research, and start writing!

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Essay on Women’s Rights

Students are often asked to write an essay on Women’s Rights in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Women’s Rights

Introduction.

Women’s rights are fundamental human rights that everyone should respect. They include the right to live free from violence, to be educated, to vote, and to earn a fair wage.

History of Women’s Rights

The fight for women’s rights began in the 1800s. Women protested for the right to vote, work, and receive equal pay. Their efforts led to significant changes.

Importance of Women’s Rights

Women’s rights are vital for equality. When women have the same rights as men, societies are fairer and more balanced.

There is still work to be done to ensure women’s rights worldwide. Everyone should strive to promote and protect these rights.

250 Words Essay on Women’s Rights

The historical context.

The fight for women’s rights has been a long-standing struggle. From the suffragettes of the early 20th century who fought for women’s right to vote, to the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s which sought economic and social equality, women’s rights have been a contentious issue throughout history.

Current Status

Despite significant progress, gender inequality persists in many parts of the world. Women are still underrepresented in political and corporate leadership, they are more likely to live in poverty, and they face higher levels of violence and discrimination.

Challenges and Solutions

The path to gender equality is fraught with obstacles, including deeply entrenched societal norms and institutions. However, change is possible. Education, legislation, and societal shifts in attitudes towards gender can play a significant role in promoting women’s rights.

The fight for women’s rights is a fight for human rights. As society evolves, it is crucial to continue advocating for gender equality, not just for the benefit of women, but for the betterment of society as a whole.

500 Words Essay on Women’s Rights

Women’s rights, a subject that has been at the forefront of social and political discussions for centuries, is a complex and multifaceted issue. It encompasses a wide range of topics, from the right to vote and work to reproductive rights and gender equality. This essay aims to delve into the evolution of women’s rights, the current state of these rights, and the challenges that remain.

The Evolution of Women’s Rights

Current state of women’s rights.

The progress made in the past century is undeniable. Women have achieved significant strides in political representation, educational attainment, and economic participation. However, the fight for equality is far from over. Globally, women still earn less than men, are underrepresented in positions of power, and are more likely to experience violence and discrimination.

Challenges and the Way Forward

The struggle for women’s rights faces numerous challenges. These include deeply entrenched patriarchal norms, religious and cultural beliefs, and structural inequalities that disadvantage women. To overcome these obstacles, it is essential to continue advocating for policy changes that promote gender equality, such as equal pay legislation, paid parental leave, and laws to prevent and punish gender-based violence.

In conclusion, while significant progress has been made in the fight for women’s rights, there is still much work to be done. The struggle for gender equality is not just a women’s issue; it is a human issue that affects us all. By continuing to advocate for policy changes and cultural shifts, we can create a world where all women have the opportunity to live free from discrimination and violence, and to realize their full potential.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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women's rights photo essay

Essay on Status of Women in India for Students and Teacher

500+ words essay on status of women in india.

“You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women.”

This is a famous quote by Jawaharlal Nehru on women. The status of women depicts the social, economic and mental condition in a nation. Women have been regarded as a symbol of spirituality in our scriptures. Yet, women were denied rights and equality in ancient Indian civilization. They have been treated badly and unequally to men. Social evils such as dowry , sati-system, child marriage, and female infanticide were widely prevalent in the early ages.  The spread of education and self-consciousness among women has led to their progress over the period. Women of today are empowered. Also, women are gaining advancements and success in each and every field. True female liberty is only achievable when people shift their restrictive attitudes and mindsets regarding women.

essay on status of women in india

History of the Status of Women in India

Going back to our origins, we can see how vital women are to society, not only biologically, but also culturally. Women have been mentioned in our Vedas and ancient books since ancient times, and they have been assigned important positions. Because of the contributions of women, the texts of Ramayana and Mahabharat have been tremendously influenced and due to women, they may have become the most sacred of all.

But during the past few centuries, the conditions of women worsen. Previously, women were referred to as housekeepers. It was thought and passed down to others that women are meant to marry, take care of the house and their in-laws, and sacrifice all of their aspirations in order to realise the dreams of their husbands and children. Furthermore, women were kept out of school because families believed that only boys deserved to be educated and follow their aspirations. Women were married off at a young age, and occasionally without their consent. They have also been subjected to a slew of dehumanising practises, societal neglect, and rituals designed to limit them, and they are frequently considered commodities rather than human beings.

Women in India in Ancient Age

Women, in the early ages, were very educated but suffered from the evils of society. Some open-minded citizens like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda , Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and others worked for the wellbeing of women. Thus, the practices of sati, child marriage, and others were abolished. Various acts such as the Child Marriage Restraint Act were passed in this direction. Mahatma Gandhi also emphasized the abolition of child marriages.

Women were also provided training in martial arts. Moreover, women acquired a significant position in politics. Sarojini Naidu was a key figure in this context. She was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and the governor of a state in India. Indira Gandhi was another woman who stood out in a male-dominated field. She became India’s first female Prime Minister and effectively led the country for fourteen years, contributing to domestic and financial progress.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Women in Free India

Gender equality.

Women today are eager to take up professions and work. Thus, they enjoy equal respect and dignity in the family. Women in free India also enjoy equal pay for equal work in comparison to men. Also, there are provisions for maternity leave for them. Furthermore, females are provided equality of opportunity under Article 16 of the Constitution of India.

Educational Status

The girls in urban areas are almost at par in education with the boys. But there is a less educated female population in rural areas. This has also affected the social and economic development of rural India. The poor (hygienic facilities) facilities at school and lack of female staff have affected education. Kerala and Mizoram have a universal literacy rate.

Women and Politics

The maximum figure of female politicians in the world is from India. Women have occupied significant positions i.e. of President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha and other high offices. “ Indira Gandhi ”, is the first female who held the office of the Prime Minister for 15 years.

Evils Against Women

The violence against women in India includes kitchen fires for want of dowry, sexual assaults, cases of rape, prostitution, throwing of acid. Also, the evils of child marriages are also widespread even today. Female infanticide, indecent behaviour, and honour killings add to the misery of the women. Also, sex-selective abortion is a deep-rooted evil leading to inequality in the sex ratio.

Current Status of Women in India

Following the development of the freedom movement across the nation, the ladies of the society began to emerge and burst through their shells. A larger proportion of women began to be given the opportunity to study and seek education. Currently, India does not have a shortage of women in the medical, technical, teaching, legal, or any other profession. India has seen an increase in the number of empowered women holding higher positions in various offices and organisations.

Women are involved in a variety of occupations and compete alongside males in a variety of disciplines such as technology, law, administration, teaching, and so on. Apart from traditional occupations, we have women who thrive in sports, such as P.T. Usha, Sania Mirza, P.V Sindhu, Mithali Raj, Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, Dipa Karmakar, and others, who have represented and inspired many aspiring sportswomen in India.

We also have women who have had a significant impact on the art and entertainment industries since their inception, as well as cultural icons in many schools of art. Indira Gandhi, Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, Annie Besant, Mahadevi Verma, Nita Ambani, Sachet Kripalani, Amrita Pritam, Sushma Swaraj, Padmaja Naidu, Kalpana Chawla, Mother Teresa, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, and others are some of the great Indian women leaders, social reformers, social workers, administrators, and literary personalities who have significantly changed the women’s status.

There has been a steady transformation in the status of women in comparison to earlier periods. Women of today take part completely in areas such as politics, status, military sectors, economic, service, and technology sectors. Moreover, they have contributed wholly to sports too. Thus, they have occupied a dignified position in family and society.

However, ending crimes against women is still a challenge. Even after significant advancements in women’s rights in India, they are still exploited, harassed, and abused in a variety of ways such as rape, sex discrimination, and so on. We can prevent ills by ensuring women’s autonomy, also increasing participation and decision making power in the family and public life.

FAQ’s on Status Of Women In India Essay

Question 1: What is the present state of women’s rights in India?

Answer 1: Women’s standing in India has evolved as a result of education and other societal progress. They are also given the freedom to pursue their objectives, obtain an education, and make their job goals a reality. Even in marriage, women are given the liberty to express themselves. Women in India today are well aware of their rights and benefits, and they are no longer politically, socially, economically, or educationally backward. They now have the same opportunities and rights as everyone else. They are capable of achieving any position or status in life.

Question 2: What is the Government of India’s role in improving the status of women in India?

Answer 2: The government has adopted numerous regulations and laws in favour of women. The Indian government launched a slew of initiatives aimed at empowering women in the country. Each of these plans is created with a focus on women and their needs in mind, so that Indian women, like women all around the world, can achieve all of their goals and enjoy a life of equal status. Among the most well-known schemes are:

  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
  • Women Helpline Scheme
  • Nari Shakti Puraskar
  • Mahila Police Volunteers
  • Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSK)

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UN Women Strategic Plan 2022-2025

Photo essay: A glimpse into the lives of Afghan women

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Since August 2021, Afghan women and girls have been grappling with increasingly restrictive decrees limiting their participation in all aspects of social, economic, and political life. These have confined millions of women to their home, restricting their important contributions to society.

Their already dire situation has been compounded in recent months by humanitarian crises. First, devastating earthquakes rocked western Afghanistan in October 2023. Then, since November 2023, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have been forced to return after a Pakistani decree on undocumented migrants went into effect. According to International Organization for Migration (IOM) data , an estimated 80 per cent of those affected are women and children.

A young Afghan girl waits for her family to receive assistance at the Spin Boldak border crossing. Photo: IOM/Mohammad Osman Azizi.

To showcase the myriad struggles and resilience of Afghan women, UN Women and the IOM are organizing two joint photo exhibitions, at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 8 to 22 March and at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 11 to 22 March 2024, during the first week of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women , an annual global meeting of Member States, gender equality champions, and experts.

This photo essay includes a selection of the anonymized photographs * and stories from this exhibition. The names and other details of women and girls featured have been changed for their protection.

Afghan families arrive from Pakistan with their belongings at the Spin Boldak border crossing in Kandahar. Photo: IOM/Mohammad Osman Azizi.

Many Afghans who left shortly after the Taliban takeover in August 2021 fled to neighbouring countries, such as Pakistan. In recent months, legal and economic conditions have made continuing to live abroad nearly impossible, forcing many to return to an unknown fate back home in Afghanistan.

Female-headed Afghan families face additional challenges.

Habiba is one of them.

A 51-year-old Afghan woman who lost her husband in a suicide attack. She has no other family members and now lives with a neighbour. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

“I lived in Pakistan for two years”, says Habiba. “We faced lots of problems there. They would tell us, ‘We will drag Afghan immigrants out of Pakistan’, and that they wouldn’t let us stay. … Because we didn’t have any documents or visas, my children couldn’t go to school in Pakistan.

“We packed all our stuff, we prayed, and it was late at night when we left the house. Due to the rush of cars and people, we spent all night at the border. We spent a cold night, because we didn’t have enough warm clothing. Then, in the early morning, we started the drive back to Afghanistan. …

“We pray that my children wouldn’t starve and face any difficulties. We wish to have a better life here. … I ask the international community to stand with us and help Afghan people, especially returnees.”

Afghan returnees at a temporary shelter before heading to the IOM Transit Centre in Kandahar. Photo: IOM/Mohammad Osman Azizi.

Returnees must stay in temporary shelters before heading to the IOM Transit Centre, or their hometowns.

Salma, a mother of six, recently returned from Pakistan.

This young Afghan woman was among the thousands who have been forced to leave Pakistan. Photo: IOM/Mina Nazari.

“One day, it all came crashing down around us”, says Salma. “The Government announced that they would be deporting all immigrants without proper documentation. We went there seeking a better life, and now we were being punished for it.

“I was filled with worry and anxiety as we packed up the few belongings we had and prepared to leave the only home our children had ever known. Where would we go? What would happen to us? Would we ever find a place to call home again? But even amid all this uncertainty, I knew that I had to stay strong for my children. They looked up to me, and I couldn’t let them see how scared and helpless I really felt. So, I put on a brave face, and told them that everything would be okay. …

“We left Pakistan with nothing more than the clothes on our backs and a suitcase full of dreams.”

Afghan returnees wait at the IOM Transit Centre in Kandahar to register for assistance. Photo: IOM/Mohammad Osman Azizi.

For many women who have not lived in Afghanistan for years, returning to a place where they have few rights and freedoms and cannot go out in public without a mahram (male escort) has been jarring.

As a counter-narrative to the Taliban’s campaign to render Afghan women invisible, UN Women created  “After August” , a digital space to document and share the experiences of Afghan women.

Several of their stories and randomly paired photographs are featured in the exhibition. Among them is Belqis , who was forced to sell one of her daughters.

An Afghan mother holds her daughter, staring at the light from behind her obscured window. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

“After the Taliban takeover of the country last year, I had to sell my 6-year-old daughter for 100,000 afghani to pay off the expenses of the rest of the family”, says Belqis, a mother of three girls and six boys from Ghor. “I have to provide for the family. We don’t have tea at home. No soap. It is a bad situation.”

A 31-year-old woman sits by the window. She used to be an entrepreneur before the Taliban takeover. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

Before the Taliban takeover, Fatana was a student and vice-president of a youth union in Nuristan. She says she became a protester after watching the achievements of a lifetime disappear:

“I want to raise the voices of these innocent women to the international community, so that it no will longer just monitor and react, but act instead—act for the benefit of the brave women of my country, because we do not get anything from reaction! … My message to the world is to raise your voice with us, women, and don’t be silent. …

“Despite all the restrictions and torture, we women have not given up and we will not! … We have been projecting our voices more into the world, and we will continue on this path with our other sisters until the last moment of our lives.”

A 23-year-old graduate laments the erosion of her rights. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

As a defence lawyer, Joweria used to take on women’s and children’s rights, child marriage and domestic violence cases. Now, she can no longer practice law.

“Today, I am imprisoned in my own home simply for being a woman. Worse yet, I faced severe security threats that have forced me to leave my home. The place I lived for years, where I was respected by everyone, no longer had a place for me. … In the blink of an eye, I went from the throne to the ground, and the day came when I couldn’t even afford 10 afghanis for transportation.

“In secret, I’ve been providing educational opportunities from my home for several girls who are deprived of the right to go to school. … I’ve raised my voice many times to change the current situation. But it seems that here, ears are deaf, and eyes are blind. No one sees us, and no one hears our voices. Still, I know that, in the end, success will be ours.”

Women across Afghanistan now face multiple restrictions. This 24-year-old woman lost her father in an earthquake. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

Sohaila, a former parliamentary reporter from Takhar, is unemployed. Despite the restrictions, she’s started collecting and sharing stories about women online:

“Sleepless nights haunted me, and hearing the news of the dissolution of Parliament and closure of related offices shattered me. The Taliban stripped me and all Afghan girls of the spirit of change through knowledge and awareness. …

“Most media outlets in Afghanistan do not hire female employees and journalists. Despite that, I was not discouraged and started collecting stories of women and presenting them through online platforms to ensure that the voices of Afghan women are heard and not stifled. This is the least I can do as a woman for other Afghan women.”

Girls and women across Afghanistan lack access to secondary education since the Taliban takeover. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

While most girls her age are in school in other countries, 15-year-old Negina is stuck at home in Bamyan:

“I am making the most of my current captivity. … For the past six months, I’ve been teaching 12 neighbourhood children who, due to poverty or other reasons, couldn’t go to school. We hold daily one-hour classes in one of the rooms in our house. I’ve been teaching them subjects like math and Dari, and, fortunately, they can now read and write. … Although they’ve deprived me of my education, I have taught 12 other individuals, and this kind of fight against ignorance and illiteracy will be victorious, with time.”

Many Afghan women and girls are forced into unwanted marriages. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

Mahnaz, from Farah, is a former university student forced into marriage:

“I cried out loud when I got engaged. I felt helpless and found myself in a situation where I had no say in my decisions. I was in my second year of university, studying law and political science, and I aspired to work in the judicial system to protect women’s rights in our country. Unfortunately, my dreams were shattered after the return of the Taliban.

“Many of my friends have faced similar fates, giving up their hopes and marrying against their will. For all girls who have been unable to complete their education, marriage is not a choice but a forced reality.”

Now unemployed, a woman sits at home with her two daughters. Photo: UN Women/Sayed Habib Bidell.

Women’s rights activist, author and poet Shabnam says her dreams may have been shattered, but not her will.

“I didn’t accept defeat. I, alongside other courageous women, raised our voices to protest the injustices of the Taliban. We went to the streets to protest, despite all the challenges and lack of support, both domestically and internationally. The Taliban hadn’t expected such courage from women. It wasn’t until they realized that we posed a significant threat to their regime, that they attempted to suppress us. …

“[A] Taliban intelligence group raided my house in the middle of the night, and on that night, my [husband was beaten in front of my] two young children, and my other family members faced the worst possible treatment by the Taliban, leaving eternal trauma etched on their souls and minds. After that night, I had no way to return home, and I was in hiding in my own land, seeking my rights. … Despite all these difficulties, I won’t stop.”

These stories and images capture the hardships that so many Afghan women are experiencing, but they also bring hope in their remarkable strength and resilience, as they find their own unique ways to resist.

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  • Ending violence against women and girls
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Ben Crump says Justice Department will investigate Sonya Massey shooting

Body camera footage released on monday showed the rapid escalation that led former sangamon county sheriff's deputy sean p. grayson to shoot massey, 36, inside her home in springfield, illinois..

women's rights photo essay

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the shooting of Sonya Massey , a Black woman who was fatally shot inside her home by a former Illinois sheriff's deputy earlier this month, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced.

Crump said Tuesday that the case is now part of a Justice Department investigation, but noted that he didn't know the probe's scope or who might be involved. The investigation comes a day after Illinois State Police publicly released body camera footage of the shooting.

The 36-minute body camera footage shows the rapid escalation that led former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean P. Grayson to shoot Massey, 36, inside her home in Springfield, Illinois.

Grayson and another deputy responded to Massey's house on July 6 after she called 911 to report a possible intruder. In the body camera video, Grayson yells at Massey over moving a pot of boiling water from the stove to the sink.

He then threatens to shoot her in the face and screams at her to drop the pot. The video shows Massey ducking before Grayson fires at her three times, including a fatal shot to the head.

Grayson, 30, of Riverton, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and official misconduct. He remains in custody without bail.

The graphic video was released on the Illinois State Police's YouTube channel and has sparked national outrage. Local, state, and federal officials have commented on the deadly encounter, which has generated several protests, including one that drew about 200 people to the Springfield NAACP building last week.

Crump, a high-profile attorney retained by the Massey family, confirmed at a news conference that Massey's parents and her two children were among those who met in private with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Tuesday. It was open "but emotional at times," Crump said.

DOJ investigation is 'welcome,' Crump says

Crump said the Department of Justice investigation is "welcome" given concerns of the family about the case. Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell also said he would welcome the probe and will "fully cooperate."

"I've done a lot of cases all across America and I've seen it done in a variety of ways," Crump said when asked about the investigation. "Sometimes, they just say they're going to overlook what the local law enforcement does, like they were doing with Breonna Taylor, and then they sometimes do like George Floyd where they actually put boots on the ground, like they did with Ahmaud Arbery, Tyre Nichols.

"So, we don't know what the scope is. We just know they've opened an investigation file on Sonya Massey. Obviously, with the family's guidance, if the family wants them to go deeper, we're going to advocate for them to go deeper."

He added that Pritzker gave his commitment that the state will be "partners in justice" in the investigation and promised a fair and transparent process.

Crump further said Tuesday that he could not rule out a civil lawsuit in the case, saying the legal team planned to explore "every possible legal remedy to get full justice for Sonya Massey."

Illinois officials, President Biden and Vice President Harris react to footage

Local officials, Illinois lawmakers and President Joe Biden have called the shooting of "unthinkable, senseless" and "shocking, horrifying and heartbreaking" after the body camera footage was released Monday afternoon.

Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden "mourn with the rest of the country and our prayers are with Sonya’s family, loved ones, and community during this devastating time."

"Sonya’s family deserves justice," Biden added. "I am heartbroken for her children and her entire family as they face this unthinkable and senseless loss."

In a statement Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris said Massey “deserved to be safe” after she called the police for help. Harris called Massey's death "senseless," adding that the footage "confirms what we know from the lived experiences of so many."

Several Illinois officials also weighed in, including State Sen. Doris Turner who urged people to come together "to seek justice and do all we can to prevent another Black man or woman from being unjustly killed." State Attorney General Kwame Raoul called the footage "horrific" in a statement Monday.

"I offer my deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey’s family as they relive a moment no family should experience," Raoul said. "As the community reacts to the release of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its way through the criminal justice system."

At Massey's funeral on Friday, days before the body camera footage was released, Crump said the video would "shock the conscience of America like the pictures of Emmett Till after he was lynched." The 1955 lynching of the 14-year-old in Mississippi helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement.

Crump added that like the George Floyd video was a catalyst for the Black community in the 2020 presidential election, the Massey video is going to be "similarly impactful" on the 2024 election.

"It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional," Crump said. "This video is tragic in every sense."

Sonya Massey called police for help. A responding deputy shot her in the face.

Former sheriff's deputy had 2 DUIs, worked for 6 agencies in 4 years

Online records from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board revealed that Grayson had worked at six different law enforcement agencies in the last four years.

From August 2020 to December 2021, Grayson worked part-time at the Pawnee, Kincaid and Virden police departments, according to online records. He then worked full-time for less than one year at the Auburn Police Department, about one year at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and just over a year at the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

Online records from Macoupin County, about 50 miles southwest of Springfield, showed that Grayson was arrested for driving under the influence in 2015 and 2016.

According to Crump, Massey's father, James Wilburn, said he didn't understand why Grayson was hired by the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office in 2023. Wilburn added that the department should have known about Grayson's past, including the two DUIs, and questioned "if they did any kind of investigation."

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A Lot Has Changed for Women Since 2016. What Does That Mean for Kamala Harris?

Voters eager to elect the first female president pointed to anger over a loss of abortion rights, but also acknowledged a fear that sexism would remain difficult for Ms. Harris to overcome.

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Kamala Harris waves as she boards Air Force Two.

By Patricia Mazzei Jenna Russell Richard Fausset and Christina Morales

Patricia Mazzei reported from Miami, Jenna Russell from Boston, Richard Fausset from Atlanta and Christina Morales from New York.

In the eight years since Hillary Clinton failed to win the American presidency, the work force for the first time grew to include more college-educated women than college-educated men. The #MeToo movement exposed sexual harassment and toppled powerful men. The Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion.

Will any — or all — of it make a difference for Vice President Kamala Harris?

Ms. Harris seems almost certain to become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee after President Biden’s decision not to seek re-election . As such, she faces, fairly or not, some of the same electability questions that Mrs. Clinton confronted in a nation that, unlike many of its peers around the globe, has yet to pick a woman as its leader.

A presidential contest pitting Ms. Harris against former President Donald J. Trump would represent a rematch of sorts: Mr. Trump would again have to run against a woman who held a top administration position and served in the Senate. He defeated Mrs. Clinton in 2016 in spite of her winning the popular vote by a wide margin.

But the dynamics would be unquestionably different. Ms. Harris has neither the political legacy nor the baggage of Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Trump, having served a turbulent term in office, is now a known quantity. Ms. Harris is Black and of South Asian descent.

And the country is not the same as it was eight long years ago.

“Women are angrier, and that could be motivating,” said Karen Crowley, 64, an independent voter and retired nurse in Concord, N.H., who would not vote for Mr. Trump, did not feel like she could support Mr. Biden and now planned to back Ms. Harris.

Among the motivations Ms. Crowley cited were the demise of Roe v. Wade and comments and actions by Mr. Trump that many women see as sexist and misogynistic. “A woman president might be more possible now,” she said.

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Pic showing Simone Biles and Shaquille O’Neal’s height difference goes viral again during Olympics

Simone Biles may be a giant in the world of gymnastics, but she looks just a little bit smaller in a fun throwback pic that shows her posing next to former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal.

The image, which Biles originally shared on social media in February 2017, has gone viral again during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 4-foot-8 Biles, who wowed sports lovers when she and Team USA won gold during the women’s gymnastics team final July 30, wears a strappy white top and a short black skirt in the photo, while the 7-foot-1 O'Neal wears a suit and tie.

Biles captioned the shot "hey Shaq," adding a hand-wave emoji.

Social media users got a kick out of the the athletes' height difference, with many noting that Biles actually appeared taller in the pic because she was wearing heels.

When the image began circulating again during the Olympics, people were just as delighted.

"Never forget this iconic photo of Shaq and Simone Biles," DraftKings captioned the shot , adding emoji of a goat and a crying-laughing face.

Another X post joked , "Shaquille O’Neal is two Simone Biles tall."

Some commenters responded by pointing out that Biles doesn't need height to execute gymnastics moves that O'Neal — and the rest of humanity — can only dream of.

"She has a better chance at dunking a basketball than he does of making it across the balance beam," one wrote .

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It's not the first time Biles has posed with a much taller athlete.

In 2016, Biles stood back to back with Team USA volleyball player David Lee , who is 6-foot-8, in a pic NBC Olympics shared on Facebook.

"Athletes come in all shapes and sizes," read the photo's caption.

Peacock is streaming the Paris Olympics around the clock.  Learn more about accounts here . TODAY earns a commission on purchases. Peacock is owned by our parent company NBCUniversal.

Gina Vivinetto is a writer for TODAY.com.

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  10. The Use of Photography in Advancing Human Rights

    Vlad Sokhin's photo essay, "Crying Meri: Violence Against Women in Papua New Guinea," led to legislative action to protect women's rights in Papua New Guinea. Using photographs as an advocacy tool: Greg Constantine's advocacy using photo essays to highlight the plight of stateless people - Project Nowhere People.

  11. About this Collection

    This collection includes 448 digitized photographs selected from approximately 2,650 print photographs in the Records of the National Woman's Party, a collection of more than 438,000 items, housed in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress. The images span from 1875 to 1938 but largely were created in the years between 1913 and 1922. The images depict the tactics used by the ...

  12. 5 Women's Rights Essays You Can Read For Free

    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the most influential voices in women's rights writing. Her book, We Should All Be Feminists, is a great exploration of 21st-century feminism. In this essay from Elle, Adichie takes a seemingly "small" topic about fashion and makes a big statement about independence and a woman's right to wear whatever ...

  13. UN Women

    Climate's Impact. Action. En. Es. Fr. We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath our children a sustainable world that benefits all. In many developing countries, women and girls often carry the burden of water and fuel collection and food provision. Combined hours spent fetching water ...

  14. Photo Essay: The Obama White House and Women's Rights

    First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at the White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility, hosted by the President, First Lady, and the White House Council on Women and Girls on March 31, 2010, to discuss the importance of creating workplace practices that allow America's working men and women to meet the demands of their jobs without sacrificing the needs of their families.

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    Abigail Adams' Inspiring Rebellion for Women's Rights. The Power of the Internet and Women's Rights in Guatemala. Pencils and Bullets Women's Rights in Afghanistan. Women's Rights in Supreme Court Decisions of the 1960's and 1970's. Women's Rights: A Path into the Society to Achieve Social Liberation.

  16. PDF Women s Rights are Human Rights Women s Rights are Human Righ

    lly linked to the right to attain an adequate standard of living. All these rights are guaranteed under international human rights law, including the right to enjo. these rights on an equal basis with men, without discrimination. Women's access to services, to education and to productive resour.

  17. Photo essay: Families are changing, policies need to change too

    Families can be 'make or break' for women and girls when it comes to achieving their rights. They can be places of love, care and fulfillment, but too often, they are also spaces where women's and girls' rights are violated, their voices stifled, and where gender inequality prevails. This photo essay provides a snapshot from UN Women ...

  18. 103 Women s Rights Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    If you are looking for inspiration for your next essay on women'''s rights, here are 103 topic ideas and examples to get you started: The history of women'''s rights movements. The impact of the #MeToo movement on women'''s rights. Gender discrimination in the workplace. The wage gap between men and women.

  19. Essay on Women's Rights

    500 Words Essay on Women's Rights Introduction. Women's rights, a subject that has been at the forefront of social and political discussions for centuries, is a complex and multifaceted issue. It encompasses a wide range of topics, from the right to vote and work to reproductive rights and gender equality. This essay aims to delve into the ...

  20. Essay on Women Rights in English for Students

    Answer 2: Women's rights are the essential human rights that the United Nations enshrined for every human being on the earth nearly 70 years ago. These rights include a lot of rights including the rights to live free from violence, slavery, and discrimination. In addition to the right to education, own property; vote and to earn a fair and ...

  21. Essay on Status of Women in India for Students

    The status of women depicts the social, economic and mental condition in a nation. Women have been regarded as a symbol of spirituality in our scriptures. Yet, women were denied rights and equality in ancient Indian civilization. They have been treated badly and unequally to men. Social evils such as dowry, sati-system, child marriage, and ...

  22. Women's Rights Isn T Over Essay

    Women's Rights Isn T Over Essay 1247 Words 5 Pages The Fight For Women's Rights Isn't Over From the 72 year long pursuit of women gaining the right to vote in the 1920's to the 1960's equal pay act, and even Sally Ride to literally reaching for the stars as the first woman in space, women's efforts have lead towards various victories.

  23. Persuasive Essay On Women's Rights

    The modern women's liberation movement commenced in 1960's as a reaction to the inequalities they faced such as social parity, equal pay for equal work, and to be one with the sexes. Their victory in gaining women's suffrage in the 1920's was the first step of gaining equality in America.

  24. Photo essay: A glimpse into the lives of Afghan women

    To showcase the myriad struggles and resilience of Afghan women, UN Women and the IOM are organizing two joint photo exhibitions, at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 8 to 22 March and at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 11 to 22 March 2024, during the first week of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, an annual global meeting of Member States, gender ...

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  29. Israel News

    The Jerusalem Post Customer Service Center can be contacted with any questions or requests: Telephone: *2421 * Extension 4 Jerusalem Post or 03-7619056 Fax: 03-5613699 E-mail: [email protected]