Womens Liberation Movement

 Women's Movement campaigned (worked) to obtain political, social and economic equality between women and men. Examples of rights - control of personal property, equality of opportunity in education and employment, right to vote and equality of sexual freedom.

The Women's Rights Movement is also known as Feminism and Women's Liberation. It first arose in Europe in the 18th century. Although by  1970 most women had gained many legal rights, there was no political, economic or social equality.

Beginning of Change - The condition of women was gradually improving. But a lot of rights were still not granted to women. New Communist governments, e.g. Russia and China, discouraged patriarchal family system and supported sexual equality and birth control. However, working women were given low salaries and low representation in government parties and councils. There were no modern birth control techniques and very few day care centers. Therefore, women / mothers working outside the house were responsible for housework and child care also.

The Right to Vote - Women participated in World War I and World War II and this helped them to gain the right to vote. But only few countries gave women this right. Most countries were still male dominated and did not give women the right to vote. 

Simone de Beauvoir in her book 'The Second Sex' argues that as a result of male dominated societies, women had been defined by their differences from men and so received second class status.

Betty Friedan in her book 'The Feminine Mystique' analysed the problems of middle class American women and argued that women were denied equality with men. 

Transformation of women's lives - In Europe, the population stopped growing as a result of awareness among women. 

Women in Profession - The number of women in workforce increased Greater access to universities and professional schools enabled women to take jobs in law, medicine, government, business and education. But the problem of lower wages still remained.

Consciousness - raising groups - Feminists in the women's liberation movement came to believe that women themselves must transform the condition of their lives. So they formed 'consciousness raising' groups to spread awareness of women's issues. Women met together to share their personal experiences and become aware of the ways that male dominance affected their lives. This helped many women become activists.

Legislation favoring women - Women gained some control over their bodies by seeking legal restrictions on both contraception and abortion.

Women activists - Women became involved in new issues. 

- Women faculty in universities tried to develop new cultural attitudes through the field of women's studies. Courses in women's studies, which stressed the role and contributions of women in history, came to be introduced in both American and European colleges and universities.

- Women tried to affect the political environment with the anti-nuclear movement.

- Some women joined the ecological movement.

- Women in the west have also reached out to work with women from the rest of the world in international conferences to change the conditions of their lives. 

Women from Western countries spoke about political, economic, cultural and sexual rights.

Women from developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia focused theri attention on bringing an end to violence, hunger and disease.

Women in both developed and developing nations were organizing to make people aware of women's issues.

Gains of Women's Liberation Movement - The Women's Rights Movement has made many gains in its history. In more than 90% of nations, women can vote and hold public office. Women in many countries have gained legal rights and access to education and professions. However, because of religious fundamentalism, e.g. in the Islamic world, oppressive practices towards women continue.

Women's Rights Movements in the developing world have aimed to improve the social status of women by campaigning against divisive legal and social codes such as 'purdah' in Arab and Islamic societies and dowry system in India.