What are the Human Rights of Women?
Every woman and girl is entitled to the realization of all human rights -- civil, political, economic, social and cultural -- on equal terms with men, free from discrimination. Women and girls also enjoy certain human rights specifically linked to their status as women.
The world has recognized that the human rights of women and of the girl-child are "an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights." (Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, para. 18.) Women are guaranteed equal treatment and freedom from discrimination in the most basic human rights treaties, and women's human rights are the subject of a specific treaty, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Far-reaching Governmental commitments to ensuring the human rights of women have been made at each of the recent world conferences, and women's human rights are central to the unanimously approved Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, organized into Critical Areas of Concern, raises issues involving fundamental human rights of women. Click on the subjects below to learn about Governments' Obligations and Commitments to fundamental human rights of women, organized to reflect the Critical Areas identified at the Beijing conference: