Women still not enjoying same legal rights as men – UN

Women worldwide hold only 64% of the legal rights enjoyed by men, and in over 40 countries, marital rape is not recognised as a crime.

United Nations secretary general António Guterres, in a statement released on Sunday to observe International Women’s Day, says there is a need to address persistent legal discrimination and defend women’s hard-won progress.

This year the day is being observed under the theme ‘Rights, Action and Justice for All Women and Girls.’

“When we are not equal under the law, we are not equal. It is time to make justice a reality for women and girls, everywhere,” Guterres says.

He says legal inequalities shape every aspect of women’s lives.

“In many countries, women may be prevented from owning property, seeking a divorce or taking a job without their husband’s permission. Other laws restrict access to education, limit the ability to pass on citizenship to children, or curtail freedom of movement outside the home,” he says, adding that where protections exist, weak enforcement leaves women struggling to access courts and legal support.

Guterres adds that rising authoritarianism, political instability and renewed patriarchal pressures are stunting progress, threatening work protections, sexual and reproductive rights and other achievements.

He calls for a united global effort to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals and the Beijing+30 Action Agenda.

“By fighting discriminatory laws and practices and defending the progress already achieved, we can ensure the dignity, opportunity and freedom all women deserve,” Guterres says.

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