Redefining Civilization. The Global Legal Struggle for Women’s Equal Rights (Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Century)

Abstract

This article explores how the concept of civilization shaped the global struggle for women’s rights in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Feminists from both the Global North and South employed the language of civilization strategically to argue for legal and political reform, linking gender equality to the progress of nations. At the same time, women themselves were often excluded from the very notion of civilization, a paradox reflected in their deteriorating legal status during this period. The international women’s movement responded through transnational activism, legal comparisons, and global congresses, fostering networks that challenged patriarchal legal systems worldwide. While initially dominated by Western feminists, women from Latin America, Asia, Australia, and Africa increasingly contributed to and reshaped these debates, demonstrating that women’s rights were not merely a Western concern but a global imperative. By examining legal discourse, feminist writings, and international congresses, this article reveals how the notion of civilization became both a tool of exclusion and a means of empowerment in the fight for gender equality.