Timeline of Women's suffrage

When the notion of Human Rights developed, these rights were expressed as "The Rights of Man" and did not apply to women. The bourgeois revolution, which promoted the right of the individual as the highest of all rights and had adopted the ideals of "Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood" during the French Revolution, also did not bestow these rights on women.

In the newly liberated colonies the right for women to vote and to stand for election was achieved as part of the national liberation. In the USA and Europe this right had to be gained country by country.

The following table shows the development. Colour indicates civilizations; blue: European, green: Islam, pink: East Asian, grey: other.

Note that a woman's right to vote does not necessarily guarantee equal rights before the law in all aspects of society. Many countries still discriminate against women in employment, education, divorce, the right to own property and many other issues.

Year of introduction of womens' right to vote