The Economics and Politics of Women's Rights

Women's rights and economic development are highly correlated. Today, the discrepancy between the legal rights of women and men is much larger in developing compared to developed countries. Historically, even in countries that are now rich women had few rights before economic development took off. Is development the cause of expanding women's rights, or conversely, do women's rights facilitate development? We argue that there is truth to both hypotheses. The literature on the economic consequences of women's rights documents that more rights for women lead to more spending on health and children, which should benefit development. The political-economy literature on the evolution of women's rights finds that technological change increased the costs of patriarchy for men, and thus contributed to expanding women's rights. Combining these perspectives, we discuss the theory of Doepke and Tertilt (2009), where an increase in the return to human capital induces men to vote for women's rights, which in turn promotes growth in human capital and income per capita.

Report of the Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo

From the 21st of September to the 1st of October, 2008, the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) in conjunction with the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), Global Fund for Women and women's right's activists from Guinea, Swaziland and Zimbabwe undertook a mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The aims of the mission were to: Show solidarity with Congolese women's rights organisations, gender activists and feminists whilst encouraging them to build strong women's movementsObtain a 'first hand' perspective of women's rights challenges in the DRC and to structure programmes to effectively support women's rights work in the countryGain a clearer understanding of women's rights challenges particularly in the mining and resource extraction centre

Reforming the family code in Tunisia and Morocco - the struggle between religion, globalisation and democracy

There is no doubt that one of the most contentious terrains of contestation in the supposed clash of values between Islamism and western values is the role of women in society. Thus, the issue of women's rights has become the litmus test for Arab societies with respect to the current zeitgeist of human rights in the age of democracy and liberalism. There is today a stereotypical view of debates surrounding women's rights in the Arab world where two distinct camps are in conflict with each other. On the one hand there are 'globalised' liberal and secular actors that strive for women's rights and therefore democracy, while on the other are obscurantist movements that are anchored in religious tradition, resist globalisation and are therefore autocratic by assumption. This article challenges this view and through an empirical study of the changes to the Code of Personal Status in Tunisia and Morocco it demonstrates that the issue of women's rights is far more complex and, in particular, it finds that there is a very significant decoupling between women's rights and democracy in the region, despite a progressive liberal shift in the gender equality agenda

The State of Women's Organizations

What is the state of women's organizations? Who funds women's rights work? What dynamics are shaping the growth of women's organizations?To answer these questions, AWID surveyed almost 1,000 women's organizations worldwide; reviewed the literature; interviewed donors; and drew insights and recommendations from 300 women's rights leaders and funding allies from 94 countries at the AWID and Semillas Money and Movements meeting in Querétaro, Mexico, at the end of 2006

The Millennium Development Goals And Reproductive Health: Moving Beyond the UN

One of a series of reports for the foundation on women's rights and poverty reductio

Inspiring Change for Women's Rights and Dignity

A special one-day event organized by the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights shed light on the challenges women face in exercising their fundamental rights to access water, sanitation, and hygiene without discrimination. This report summarizes the day's discussions, focused on WASH and women's rights through three case studies and a look at changing international development standards

Statecraft and Pursuing Women's Rights in Africa

This particular primer maps key areas of feminist analysis and intervention in governance. Based on existing research on the major factors that hinder women's political participation, emphasis is placed on electoral systems, political parties, quotas and national constitutional mechanisms. These are also areas where the impact of the women's rights movement has been felt. This primer therefore assesses the ways in which women's participation in governance has been assured, the challenges arising from these approaches, and lessons therein. This primer is intended to benefit women's rights activists and organisations at the frontline of local and national mobilisation initiatives that  seek to enhance women's leadership. We hope the primer is useful for building alliances and structuring support across various institutions working towards enhancing women's political participation

Liberalisation, care and the struggle for women's social citizenship in Vietnam

social policy;subsidies;Viet Nam;economic liberalization;care work;women workers;women's rights

Celebrating 40 Years: 2013 Annual Report

For forty years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has led the charge for women's rights. We were at the frontlines in 1973 and continue to fight for equality, justice and freedom today