2016 EDITION vol.3 issue 12 DIGITAL

By Mirembe Rosemary
atified on August
18, 1920, the 19th
Amendment to
the United States
Constitution
granted American women the
right to vote—a right known
as woman suffrage. At the time
the U.S. was founded, its female
citizens did not share all of the
same rights as men, including
the right to vote. After the right
to vote was guaranteed by the
19th amendment, the equal rights
amendment (ERA) was proposed
as the next step in confirming
“equal justice under law for all
citizens.” The ERA was introduced
in to every congress between
1923-72 when it was passed and
sent to the states for ratification.
States have a responsibility
to uphold standards of due
diligence and take steps to fulfill
their responsibility to protect
individuals (women) from human
rights abuses. Despite great
strides made by the international
women’s rights movement over
many years, women and girls
around the world are still married
off as children or trafficked into
forced labor and sex slavery. They
are refused access to education and
political participation; and some
are trapped in conflicts where rape
is perpetrated as a weapon of war.
Around the world, deaths related
to pregnancies and childbirths are
needlessly high, and women are
prevented from making deeply
personal choices in their private
lives. Human Rights Watch is
working toward the realization
of women’s empowerment and
gender equality—protecting the
rights and improving the lives of
women and girls on the ground.
Women are entitled to equal enjoyment
and protection of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms that include amongst
others:
• The right to life
• The right to equality
• The right to liberty and security of
person
• The right to equal protection under
the law
• The right to be free from all forms
of discrimination
• The right to the highest attainable
standard of physical and mental
health
• The right to just and favorable
conditions of work
• The right not to be subjected to
torture, or other cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or
punishment.
18 Kata kata cartoon magazine