WOMEN’S RIGHTS AS HUMAN RIGHTS

“The freedoms, immunities, and benefits that, according to modern values (esp. at an international level), all human beings should be able to claim as a matter of right in the society in which they live.”

Human Rights Relates to rights such as life, liberty, security of a person, freedom from arbitrary arrest, right to a fair hearing, freedom of thought and religion, right to social security and to work, and right to education.

Human beings are living beings that have consciousness, conscience & reasoning and human rights are the basic dignities of every human being. They are universal rights held simply by being a human. Being rights, not concessions neither they cannot be withdrawn nor undermined or watered down nor do rights depend on our status as citizens. They also extend to the nonnatives because they most need them. While accepted basic human rights are fundamental to human nature, they are not static. The dynamic progress of human nature and society allows for the development of future rights.

Women are an important part of human society. They are regarded as primary sources that nurture the next generations of human beings. Even though the women’s contribution to the progress of the human is equal to that of their males’ contribution, still, they experience various limitations that restrict them from realizing their growth potential. It was against this realistic view that the governments all over the world felt the need to prioritize the needs and interests of women and recognize their contribution in various stages and overcome predicaments that would take place within the course of their empowerment. The term, women’s empowerment implies the capacity of the woman to take all the important decisions on an independent basis that are related to her, throughout her life that will lead to her success in all stages of life.

Previously Human rights had been conceptualized in a way that did not take account of women’s lives and the fact that they experienced violence, various criminal activities, discrimination and coercion. In the past, women only followed certain norms and traditions that put many restraints upon them in the male-dominated society. Ensuring women’s human rights requires a broad-ranging understanding of the fundamental societal structures and power relations that elucidate and stimulate the abilities of women to enjoy human rights. These power structures affect all aspects of life, including law, politics, economic and social policy, family and community life, education, training, skill development, and attainment of employment opportunities.

The motto, “women’s rights are human rights” has now spread worldwide. The impact of the slogan is in its simplicity. It can be concluded that customs and laws which refuse women equal life chances are an insult to their very humanity.

When we debate about women ‘s rights then, what we are debating is human rights.

The United Nations is dedicated to the principle of equality of men and women, meaning equality in their dignity and significance as human beings as well as equality in their rights, opportunities and responsibilities. In its work for the upliftment of the status of women, the entire United Nations system has dedicated itself to ensuring the Universal recognition, in law, of equality of rights between men and women and equal opportunities for men to be aware of them of their human rights and fundamental freedoms. Acknowledging women & men’s equality and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women are basic human rights and fundamental values of the United Nation.

Women all over the world, experience violations of their basic human rights throughout their lives, and such human rights of women have not always been a priority. Ensuring equality between women and men requires a comprehensive understanding of how women experience discrimination and are deprived of equality to develop the appropriate strategies and norms to eliminate such discrimination. Some groups of women experience different forms of discrimination, based on their age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, health status, marital status, education, disability, and socioeconomic status. These interrelated forms of discrimination must be taken into account when legislating measures and responses to confront discrimination against women.

The widespread gender bias, being derogatory to human dignity and human rights, has emerged as a fundamental crisis all over the world. Human rights can be taken as those minimum rights which every individual must have against the State or other public authority under of his being a member ‘of the human family, ignoring any other consideration.

There is interdependence between Democracy, development, respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and mutual reinforcement. Human rights for women are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of human rights. The full development of personality, fundamental freedom, and equal participation by women in political, social, economic, and cultural scenarios are con commitments for international as well as national development, social and family stability, and economic cultural, and social, development. All forms of discrimination on grounds of gender are, thus, violations of fundamental freedom and human rights. Gender injustice and insensitiveness manifest themselves in the form of discrimination, crime, and violence against women.

Resisting discriminatory treatments is essential for the progress of women. Hence these should be given priority to the rights of women and promote their effective implementation.

Emphasizing this repression, the United Nations passed various instruments with a focus on women ‘s liberation and with the object of enhancing the dignity of women all over the world. The United Nations has come a long way from being a security agency to becoming an organization concerned with human rights, justice, and equality. In the scope of women ‘s issues, it has gathered enormous support whereby it has promoted and protected women’s rights and women ‘s empowerment. Throughout the world, the United Nations has prescribed minimum standards to be adopted by member countries for eradicating gender discrimination.

The advancement of the rights of women has been the concern of the world community since the end of the Second World War. The determination of the peoples of the United Nations, to reaffirm efforts in basic human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human being, in the equality of men and women, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social development of the people is mentioned in the Preamble of U.N. Charter. Similarly, provisions are also incorporated in the Charter of the United Nations and other human rights instruments that provide for the protection and advancement of women’s rights.

Human rights are generally understood as rights that are inherent to all human beings. The notion of human rights acknowledges that each individual is empowered to exercise his or her rights without any type of discrimination regarding areas such as caste, faith, race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, property, birth, background and status. Human rights are lawfully guaranteed by the national constitutions and laws, regional and international treaties, and documents. They safeguard individuals and groups against activities that impede the course of their fundamental freedom and human dignity.

The significance of human rights has been acknowledged concerning the following aspects, these are initiated on respect for the self-esteem and worth of each person. They are universal and are thus applied equally without any type of discriminatory treatment against anybody based on factors such as caste, creed, race, religion, occupation, and socio-economic background. Human rights are indisputable, in that they cannot be infringed, except in case of specific situations, such as, the right to liberty can be restricted if a person is found convicted of a crime by a court of law. Human rights are inseparable, interrelated, and interdependent; thus, it is inappropriate to respect some human rights and not others. In reality, the dignity of several other rights is affected by the violation of one right. All human rights should, therefore, be viewed as of equal importance and equally vital for the respect and worth of each person.

Human rights provide a beneficial, lawful and regulating framework, vocabulary, and form of direction for public health actions while improving the responsibility of governments. Human rights and public health have the same objective of encouraging and safeguarding the welfare of all individuals. Human rights must be promoted and protected to report the fundamental elements of health, including the empowerment of individuals and communities to respond to health challenges and ensure justifiably, and operative delivery of services.

SUGGESTIONS

1. Educating women from all backgrounds enables them to know their rights.

2. Running awareness programs to make women aware of their basic human rights.

3. Giving opportunities to women in socio-legal and political leadership at the ground level.

4. Implementing international conventions for women at all levels of Indian society.

5. Strengthening sanctions for violating women’s human rights at both national and international levels.

CONCLUSION

In the present existence, with the impact of modernization and the use of innovative methods, the rights of women have been acknowledged. Women are emerging professionals such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, educationists, managers, administrators, and so forth. The women, who belong to minority communities, are getting enrolled in educational institutions where they can learn to exercise their rights for the well-being of their parents as well as the community. Education is one of the weapons which enables the ability of a person to differentiate between right and wrong and allows him or her to strengthen their position in society. Educating women is benefitting society at large as they are not aware of the rights which they have been given by the lawmakers.

Humans are the being that can do anything in this world, they can choose to fight against oppression or can choose to silently endure it. This also implies to women whether to fight or endure it, to uplift or disgrace their status in the society and in this current world scenario only education & awareness is the most powerful weapon.

“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special”

-Nelson Mandela

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