ABSTRACT
Women in much of the world lack support for fundamental functions of a human life. They are less well nourished than men, less healthy, and more vulnerable to physical violence and sexual abuse. Human rights approaches' are close allies of the capabilities approach, because they take a stand on certain fundamental entitlements of citizens, and they hold that these may be demanded as a matter of basic justice. Of course the capabilities approach supplies norms for human development in general, not just for women's development. A woman's sexual history and social class is sure to be used against her in court, medical evidence is rarely taken promptly, police typically delay in processing complaints, and therefore convictions are extremely difficult to secure. The argument from paternalism indicates, then, that people should prefer a cross-cultural normative account that focuses on empowerment and opportunity, leaving people plenty of space to determine their course in life once those opportunities are secured to them.
