Declaration of the Rights of Woman and Female Citizen, 1791
French playwright Olympe de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen in 1791. Created in direct response to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. The document sheds light on the failure of the French Revolution to extend its ideals beyond men and demands political and legal equality for women.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination, 1979
The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in December 1979. It is considered to be an international women’s bill of rights, aiming to protect women in regards to their rights to social, economic, and cultural equality.
Maputo Protocol, 2003
The African Union adopted the Maputo Protocol in July 2003. The Protocol guarantees comprehensive rights to women in Africa, including: the right to participate in the political process, to social and political equality with men, improved autonomy in their reproductive health decisions, and an end to female genital mutilation.
