Freedom of speech
by Cordelia Hughes
Since the beginning of humanity, our voices have been the lifeblood of society. Communication was used for hunting, to warn, and to fight, but in the modern day it is increasingly common for those voices to be suppressed.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that freedom of speech is a fundamental human right. Women should be able to freely express this, however, women's freedom of speech has historically been suppressed, both through legal matters and social pressures. Throughout history it has been common for women’s voices to be silenced in various ways, often with society rejecting them in speaking on issues that directly affect them. In many cases, women have been discouraged from expressing their opinions on matters close to them, and have been subjected to violence, intimidation, and discrimination when they do.
In 2021, the OHCRH confirmed 29 cases of women human rights defenders, journalists and trade unionists from 8 countries affected by conflict being attacked and killed. However, these violent incidents against female human rights defenders are extremely under-reported in the United Nations statistics, most likely to cover up how common it is for countries that have weaker legal protections to prevent such crime or encourage it to silence their people.
Even in modern day, freedom of speech has been a significant barrier to women across the world, especially in the digital world. The circulating sexism and misogyny end up leading to online harassment and abuse. The United Nations Human Rights Council states that “the same rights people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice”, however today many people think that not being directly talking to them gives them the right to treat people without respect. Women who speak out on controversial issues are often subject to horrific levels of backlash, which can lead to them being side-lined from the public arena.
Even more influential women are heavily affected by treatment online, such as the Scottish Parliamentarian Ruth Davidson who informs us that “the sheer volume of abuse can make you sometimes feel hunted online” demonstrating how even those who hold power are not safe in the cyberworld.
A crucial reason for the importance of woman’s free speech is the power to arose change. When women are given a voice, they can speak out on issues that affect them, such as gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and economic inequality. “There can be no trade-off between women’s right to be free from violence and the right to freedom of opinion and expression. States must not use efforts to address online gender-based violence, hate speech and disinformation as a pretext to restrict freedom of expression beyond what is permitted under international law” a reporter tells, because on issues that affect the wellbeing of people, opinions are strongest when coming from the affected. Our society can change for the better, but only if affective groups pull together to collectively to address the government.
To ensure freedom of speech is protected, it is essential to take a direct approach. Considering only 57% of people think they have a good chance to improve their standard of social liberty, and out of 27 countries 62% say their country protects freedom of expression, it’s clear we must take measures to end outrage people to feel more confident with expressing their opinions. This includes implementing laws and policies that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and violence against people, both online and offline. It also involves promoting equality and challenging norms and attitudes, enabling everyone to speak out without fear of retribution.
In conclusion, freedom of speech is a vital human right that must be protected and upheld. Despite significant progress in recent years, substantial barriers still exist, and as a society it is our responsibility to address them. For example, women from Iran have been fighting against compulsory dress code for decades and are now defying it in public as an act of resistance, by going out to live their lives without the hijab. Even young girls who have been taking part in this stand are facing the violence of speaking out for their rights, such as Mahsa Kurdish, who was 22 when passing away whilst in Iranian police custody and was one of the hundreds of people killed whilst campaigning for equal and fair rights.
By empowering women to speak out and challenging the forces that seek to silence them, we can create a more inclusive and equal world for everyone, no matter their identity or opinion.
