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Those whose human rights have been violatedcan also use them to assert their moral claims.Activists can employ them as a tool to monitorpolicies or do advocacy work in order to advancethe effective reach of acknowledged human rights.Public debate, political campaigns and collectiveorganizing around human rights are also importantmeans to question discriminatory social norms,unequal power relations and unequal distributionof resources and to encourage poor andmarginalized women to see themselves as rightsholders. Work with marginalized communitiesmust begin with the realities of women’s lives andcreate the space for critical reflection and sharingof experiences. In doing so activists may not alwaysuse the language of human rights as their startingpoint, preferring to employ notions of fairnessand dignity that resonate better with grassrootswomen. 86Going back to the issue of legal rights with whichthis chapter began, the reason for putting women’seconomic and social rights into law is not only tomake them justiciable in court; it can also createthe political and societal momentum to ensurethat women’s rights can be enjoyed in practice.When economic and social rights are recognizedin constitutions and enshrined in laws, it helps buildpolitical legitimacy behind them. It can also createa horizon of societal expectations and spur publicaction. It can help women engage with those whoadminister the laws and programmes that shapetheir lives, be they land registration officers, healthservice providers or public school teachers andadministrators. 87SUBSTANTIVE EQUALITY FOR WOMEN:A FRAMEWORK FOR ACTIONAs the previous sections have shown, a keychallenge around the world is transforming formalrights into reality to enable women’s practicalenjoyment of their human rights. This is howsubstantive equality can be achieved. Public actionis fundamental to support this process. Basedon the work of Sandra Fredman and elaboratedby Fredman and Goldblatt (2014), this sectionproposes a framework, derived from human rightstreaties as well as the work of the treaty bodies, tosupport governments and other key actors to makethis change happen. 88 The framework identifiesthree interconnected dimensions along whichactions need to be taken in order to transformexisting structures and institutions so that allwomen are able to enjoy their rights:Redressing women’s socio-economicdisadvantageAddressing stereotyping, stigma and violenceStrengthening women’s agency, voice andparticipation. 89This Report puts the spotlight on the firstdimension—redressing socio-economicdisadvantage—and the achievement of women’seconomic and social rights. But as Figure 1.4 showsand the following chapters make clear, womencannot enjoy these rights without action to addressstereotyping, stigma and violence and strengthenwomen’s agency, voice and participation.