Part One: Movements, Spaces and Rights: Global Synthesis

In different parts of the world, the quest for gender equal rights under the rubric of human rights remains amidst unsupportive social structures, intolerant spaces, repressive political regimes, terrorism and adverse impacts of globalization. The idea that women are equal to men in all aspects of human existence seems unfathomable in patriarchal socialization; that women deserve less rights than men has been entrenched in societies, both western and non-western, but now find new claims for recognition and social justice. Social movements for change, particularly feminist-inspired and regardless of their scale and reach, resonate in many communities among individuals and groups seeking due respect and rightful belonging as citizens and, basically, as human beings. In the 21st century going forward, women’s rights as human rights set the premise to embark on continued activism in Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East, but not to exclude North America and Europe where the rise of conservatism has continued to challenge present feminist gains. Due to differing experiences under colonization and economic globalization, women and other marginalized groups such as the LGBTQI+ around the world advocate for rights within given political systems in accordance with their own particular worldviews and not necessarily anchored in the universal principle of human rights. Non-accommodation of their claims for equality and fair treatment often leads to continued persecution, migration and displacement. But negotiating spaces and finding common grounds among and between diverse groups of women instil hope in a better tomorrow.