Women’s Rights and Gender Equality – Discussion questions

• When you hear the word gender equality, what comes to mind?
• The ability to do whatever you want; choice
• Equal opportunity
• Equal expectations
• Equal salary/reward for the same job
• Freedom from social restrictions/prejudice; no assumptions about roles
• Equal sexual rights
• Recognition and celebration of differences
• Often considered a female/feminist term or problem; it is forgotten,
overlooked, or mainstreamed because people feel it has been dealt with

• Since we have international human rights standards for all, why is it important to
talk about women’s human rights?
• “Women hold up half the sky”
• Rights on paper vs. rights in reality
• Who is in power and interpreting these rights; standards made “by men,
for men”
• Historical and social context needs to be considered women and men
starting from different places

• Why are women’s rights so important?

• Regardless of all other factors, being a woman puts you at a disadvantage
• As child bearers they are the first point of contact with a new generation
• Women have the greatest impact on their surroundings
• You can’t promote human rights without promoting human rights
• Women are marginalized crucial factor
• Group most likely to have their rights abused
• Universal human rights standards not held up in reality
• Women have a powerful influence on the upbringing and education of
children
• Women are a source of power that is not being used to its full potential
(this negatively impacts the whole of society)
• Everyone deserves equal treatment

• Is there a difference between women’s rights and women’s human rights?

• Human rights are the very basis of women’s rights as there are many
boundaries faced by women beyond the most basic rights (public services
etc.)
• i.e. gender equality, protection from violence, sexual rights
• Human rights should include women’s rights
• Women’s rights specifically include sexual/reproductive rights
• Women’s human rights are rights that are applied to everyone (basic
rights)five rights Oxfam promotes
• Women’s rights address inequalities according to the society and
community