Women's Rights in Afghanistan, China and Iran Although women in much of the world have gained significant legal rights, many people believe that women still do not have the complete equality with men. The phrase “women’s rights” refers to the basic human rights that are withheld from women simply because they are women (Tansey1). Women’s rights guarantee that women will not face discrimination on the basis of their sex. Throughout much of the history of Western civilization, deep-seated cultural beliefs allowed women only limited roles in society. The status of women’s rights today varies dramatically in different