Editing Women's rights (section)

=== Freedom of movement ===

[[File:A Chinese Golden Lily Foot, Lai Afong, c1870s.jpg|thumb|left|Woman with [[Foot binding|bound feet]], 1870s]]
[[File:Afghan lady in Kabul.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|right|''Ladies of [[Kabul|Caubul]]'' (Kabul, Afghanistan) showing the lifting of [[purdah]] in [[zenana]] areas – 1848 lithograph by James Rattray, Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library]]
[[Freedom of movement]] is an essential right, recognized by international instruments, including Article 15 (4) of [[CEDAW]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm |title=Full text of the Convention in English |access-date=20 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406123853/http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm |archive-date=6 April 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Nevertheless, in many regions of the world, women have this right severely restricted, in law or in practice. For instance, in some countries women may not leave the home without a male guardian,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/24691034|title=Why can't women drive in Saudi Arabia?|publisher=BBC|access-date=2019-06-17}}</ref> or without the consent of the husband – for example the personal law of [[Yemen]] states that a wife must obey her husband and must not get out of the home without his consent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/ngos/Yemen%27s%20darkside-discrimination_Yemen_HRC101.pdf |title=Layout copy 6 |access-date=2019-12-16}}</ref> Even in countries which do not have legal restrictions, women's movement may be prevented in practice by social and religious norms such as [[purdah]]. Laws restricting women from travelling existed until relatively recently in some Western countries: until 1983, in [[Australia]] the passport application of a married woman had to be authorized by her husband.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.passports.gov.au/Web/passport_history.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614171552/http://www.passports.gov.au/Web/passport_history.aspx|archive-date=2006-06-14|title=The History of Passports in Australia|date=2006-06-14|access-date=2019-06-17}}</ref>

Several Middle Eastern countries also follow the [[Wali (Islamic legal guardian)|male guardianship system]] in the modern era, where women are required to seek permission from the male family member for several things, including traveling to other nations. In August 2019, [[Saudi Arabia]] ended its male guardianship laws, allowing women to travel by themselves.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-women/saudi-arabia-implements-end-to-travel-restrictions-for-saudi-women-agency-idUKKCN1VA1ON|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820164006/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-women/saudi-arabia-implements-end-to-travel-restrictions-for-saudi-women-agency-idUKKCN1VA1ON|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 August 2019|title=Saudi Arabia implements end to travel restrictions for Saudi women – agency|access-date=20 August 2019|work=Reuters}}</ref>

Various practices have been used historically to restrict women's freedom of movement, such as [[foot binding]], the custom of applying painfully tight binding to the feet of young Chinese girls, which was common between the 10th and 20th centuries.

Women's freedom of movement may be restricted by laws, but it may also be restricted by attitudes towards women in public spaces. In areas where it is not socially accepted for women to leave the home, women who are outside may face abuse such as insults, sexual harassment and violence.
Many of the restrictions on women's freedom of movement are framed as measures to "protect" women.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empowerwomen.org/en/who-we-are/news/2016/2/freedom-of-movement-and-womens-economic-empowerment|title=Empower Women – Freedom of movement and women's economic empowerment|website=EmpowerWomen|date=2 February 2016 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-17}}</ref>