The Human Development Report, 2000, conceives Human Rights as an
intrinsic part of development, and development as a means to make Human Rights a
reality. Before that, in 1995, it had already been pointed out that without equity of
gender, human development would be seriously threatened. Therefore, without gender
equity and an effective system of recognition, implementation and guarantee of
women´s right there cannot be real progress, social justice and development. The
problem regarding the rights of women is not a domestic but a universal reality which
requires resources capable of transcending prejudices based on national, cultural, race,
religious or social traditions. Definitely the promotion of women´s rights should no
longer be regarded as a women´s issue but as a huge problem of social justice, that
implies respect to the human dignity and as an obstacle to progress that affects both
women and men.
Keywords: Development, Discrimination, Equity, Gender perspective, Global
perspective, Human dignity, Human rights, Progress, Social justice, Women´s
rights.