Property Rights for Women

Women’s suffrage, or the women’s rights to vote and run for office, started as a movement in France and the Netherlands in the late 19th century. The British colony of New Zealand was the first nation that gave women the right to vote, followed by the colony of South Australia. This was the first, however, that also gave women the right to run for office. In 1979, women’s suffrage became stated as a right in the United Nation’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Women’s Suffrage as a Movement

One must not confuse the women’s suffrage movement with the feminist movement that still exists today. The women’s suffrage movement campaigned only for women’s rights to vote. Many who were part of this movement were men and the general consensus was that women had a different place in society due to their gender. They were seen as kinder and gentler and their place was in the home. However, members of the movement felt this place was an important one and hence women should be entitled to influence decisions that would have an impact on their homes.

Women’s Rights to Vote in Religions

  • In Catholicism, the leader of the Church is the Pope. The Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals, which consists exclusively of men. Women, hence, cannot vote for the Pope. Within the Catholic Church, women’s rights have become a big discussion point lately.
  • In Hinduism, ISKCON was founded by a Swami who openly encouraged women’s participation in politics and felt that women should be involved in the highest levels of the organization. However, from the 1970s onwards, women’s influence dwindled down. Following much protest and discussion, a formal apology was offered to women in 2000 and a woman’s right to vote in the ISKCON was formally instated.
  • In Judaism, women are denied the right to vote, nor can they hold positions of authority.

Conditioned or Denied Women’s Right to Vote

  • In the Vatican City, women do not have the right to vote for the Pope.
  • In Saudi Arabia, there is no women’s right to vote. Although discussions have been held to allow women the right to vote in 2009 and once again in 2011, this never materialized.
  • In Brunei, both men and women have been denied the right to vote. Both can only vote in local elections, not in national legislative elections.
  • In the United Arab Emirates, the right to vote is limited for both men and women, although they may be fully expanded during the elections in 2011.
  • In Lebanon, women need to show proof of elementary education before they are granted the right to vote. Also, voting is compulsory for men but optional for women.

    • As you can see, women’s rights to vote are still not universally accepted, despite the United Nation’s Convention stating it as a right. The right being denied is present in both Western and Eastern societies and a revival of the women’s suffrage movement has been seen in recent years, once again campaigning for an international women’s right to vote.

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