Women's Issues


Women’s rights around the world are an important indicator for understanding global well-being. A major global women’s rights treaty was ratified by the majority of the world’s nations a few decades ago.

Yet, despite many successes in empowering women, numerous issues still exist in all areas of life, ranging from cultural and political to economic issues. For example, women often work more than men, yet are paid less; gender discrimination affects girls and women throughout their lifetime, and women and girls are often the ones that suffer the most from poverty.

This report about the United Nation’s Women’s Treaty and the fact that a number of countries have lodged reservations about various parts of it shows we still have a long way to go to achieve universal gender equality. Gender equality furthers the cause of child survival and development for all of society, so the importance of women’s rights and gender equality should not be underestimated.

Despite great strides made by the international women’s rights movement over many years, women and girls around the world are still married as children or trafficked into forced labour and sex slavery. They are refused access to education and political participation, and some are trapped in conflicts where rape is perpetrated as a weapon of war. Around the world, deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth are needlessly high, and women are prevented from making deeply personal choices in their private lives. Human Rights Watch is working toward the realization of women’s empowerment and gender equality - protecting the rights and improving the lives of women and girls on the ground.