History on Womens Right Movement

Womens Movement Sharon Pratt Apus

Women’s movement
Name:Sharon Pratt
Instructor:
C

Abstract
The following is an article that seeks to give a historical account of events that have shaped women’s activism in the world. It gives a brief overview of the international women’s movement and names women activists who have shaped history in the fight of women’s rights. Also it draws comparison of the effects of women’s activism in today’s world as compared to the years before the start of liberation of women in our society.
Keywords: Activism, Feminism, Movement

‘Women’s movement’ is a term that puts into perspective the fight for women’s rights in both social and political aspects. It is a movement aimed at fighting for women’s empowerment as mothers in social and political arenas. Also it seeks to fight for gender equality between women and men in our society (Antrobus, 2004, p.10). The following excerpt seeks to establish the roots of the feminist movement in America. It draws the objectives of the movement and names historical events that are of significance in the fight of women’s liberation. It outlines the goals, effects and strategies of women’s movement. It names women who have been in the fore front fighting for women’s rights.
1. What started women’s movement?
Before the conference on women held in Beijing, women were treated as subordinates to their male counterparts. Their involvement in politics, issues of national development and policy making was limited. The role of women in the society was to act as mothers and wives they were always to be in subjection to their husbands. The fourth world conference held in Beijing was what saw the start of feminist movement in the world. The middle class women who had just entered the work force are the ones that pioneered the women’s movement. The principal theme of the conference was to parade women’s rights as human’s rights. The participating parties were convinced that women’s empowerment was an integral part in the achievement of gender equality and global development. Members of the conference vouched for gender equality, women’s empowerment and full participation in matters of leadership, national development and policy making (Roces, 2010, p.86).
The roots of feminist activism date back to the year 1960 it was characterized by three chronological phases. The first phase was the ‘suffrage movement’ that was meant to fight for women’s rights as voters. It was the more vigorous of the two phases and was more active in the western nations like America compared to the Eastern nations like Asia and china. In Eastern nations the first phase was hindered by European imperialism. This is because civilians both men and women in colonized territories were not entitled to human rights and both sexes were disempowered from formal political practice. The second phase was (the deconstruction of patriarchy in the 1960s) it was facilitated by United Nations protocols like CEDAW. Such protocols rejuvenated women’s movement in the Eastern nations. The third phase started from the mid-1990s up to date. Its objectives are an extension of the fight for women’s rights to education, property ownership and right to vote. They include a study analyzing the effects of gender inequality on women, and the girl child due to masculine partiality in social, family and professional settings.
1. What are the objectives of women movement?
Women’s movements are not structured around clear cut objectives. Some are formed to fight for gender equality. Their main objective is to stand up for the rights of women to vote, and to exercise their political rights by vying for political seats as compared to their male counterparts. The other movements are formed to address to social and cultural and economic issues that affect women. Their main objective is resist women’s oppression when it comes to social, cultural and economic spheres of life (Antrobus, 2004, p.11).
2. What are the goals for feminist activism?
The early 1960s saw more women get into the workforce more than any other period in history. This was to move to counter hard economic times. Unequal payments between male and females servicing the same jobs was what that sparked the women’s movement. In his book The feminine mystique Betty Friedan inspired women to carve their own social and professional identities other than the ones imposed on them by male dominated society. The establishment of the civil rights movement to enact laws that banned discrimination on gender and race also empowered the women’s movement. The passing of the bill gave women a constitutional right to be treated equally to men. The invention of the birth control pill and the legalizing of abortion led to the rise the women’s movement. Also the goals of this movement was to secure voting rights for the women, the right to own property and the right to enter into professional workmanship.
3. What are the methods and strategies of organizing women’s movements?
The movement is organized through organizations, institutions, campaigns, seminars and workshops. Activists use strategies of main streaming to effectively voice women’s concerns. The strategy of mainstreaming is based on the idea of incorporating findings and strategies into mainstream policies that are to be implemented in national and global levels. Organizations like the World Bank, United Nations and other Non-Governmental agencies have all supported the idea of mainstreaming. The effectiveness of this strategy is hindered by incorporation of political bureaus into organizations parading for women rights. Another strategy used by feminist’s activists is monitoring and accountability. This strategy involves monitoring governments and institutions and assessing their effectiveness and accountability in carrying out the set guidelines and recommendations. Also activists have used research tools to aid their movement. Findings from research are analyzed and used to draw up conclusions on how women are viewed by the society. Recommendations on how alter laws and social attitudes towards women are deducted from the conclusions and findings of the research (Antrobus 2004 p.123).

5. What are the accomplishments of women’s movement?
The women’s movement has achieved many accomplishments in the social, economic and political spheres of life. Socially women have achieved gender equality. In most countries the constitution allows the woman to enjoy the same civil rights as men and they are no longer treated as second class human beings. Politically, a woman is now entitled to exercise her right to vote. Also she encouraged to exercise her democratic right to vie for a public office seat. The movement has accomplished to harmonize salaries between both genders. Professionally, women are entitled to a similar pay compared to his male counterpart when holding the same jobs. The movement also has fought for the right to education for the girl child in the society. A woman now has the right to be educated to any level regardless of the social class. The movement has led to the enactment of labor laws that accommodate expectant women who are working. Also it has enacted divorce laws that are in favor of women unlike in the past where divorce laws were biased towards men. The movement has also foreseen improvement in health care towards expectant mothers and this has reduced infant mortality and death during birth.
6. What are the effects of women’s movement in family, social, political and economic spheres of life? Women’s liberation has led to the disintegration of the family unit. Recent times have seen the rise of single parent families due to women being financially independent. Women no longer need men to support them financially as they used to. By increasing learning opportunities for women the age for marriage for the average woman has extended, due to women seeking to achieve high levels of education (Worell, 2002 p.824).socially, women have become more assertive and independent in the workplace, and the society at large. Due to confusion in gender roles there has been tension in relationships between men and women. Socially children have been confused as to what good parenthood consists of. Absence of a father figure in single families headed by women has left children with no good male role models. Most marriages have been compromised by the liberation of women. This is because women are no longer oppressed by law when it comes to divorce cases, so any woman is free to file a divorce case. The enactment of the bill allowing women to abort pregnancies below two months has led to increased abortion rates. The improvement of health care to expectant mothers has led to increase in teenage pregnancies. The liberation of women has reduced cases of domestic violence since laws have been put to protect them from domestic violence.
Politically, there has been worldwide acceptance of women’s involvement in politics. Women have been elected to seats in public offices. This has led to integration of pro-feminist policies being implemented into the political arena also this has narrowed the gap between women and men’s involvement in politics. Women being the majority voters have been involved in active politics through voting and providing leadership for political parties.
Economically, more women have been involved in workforce this has facilitated national development. Their input has of been of great significance in the progression of the human race. Education has furnished women with knowledge that has been used to offer technological know-how in inventing new products (Worell, 2002, p.826).
References
Antrobus P. (2004). The global women’s movement: issues and strategies for the new century. London: zed books limited
Worell J. (2002). Encyclopedia of women and gender, Two volume set: Sex similarities and the impact of society on gender. California: Academic press
Roces M. & Edwards L. (2010) Women’s movement in Asia: Feminism and transnational activism. New York: Rout ledge

References: Antrobus P. (2004). The global women’s movement: issues and strategies for the new century. London: zed books limited Worell J. (2002). Encyclopedia of women and gender, Two volume set: Sex similarities and the impact of society on gender. California: Academic press Roces M. & Edwards L. (2010) Women’s movement in Asia: Feminism and transnational activism. New York: Rout ledge