One country in the entire world allowed women to vote in the year 1900. This number increased in 1950 by 69 countries now allowing them to vote. in 1975, 129 countries allowed women to vote. Even though voting was allowed gender equality was still a major issue. A major issue came after women were given the right to vote which was being equally paid. World War 2 brought many jobs for women while men were away fighting the war, and they did not want to give up their jobs as soon as the men got back. Women were working full time in the 1980's but only 64% of what a normal man would make, in pay. Change was in the air for women for Margaret Thatcher aka "Iron Lady", was the first women to be elected as a European head of state. The conservative part took over in 1979 and stayed until 1990. Individuals were given greater freedom and public expenditures were reduced greatly. The Women's Rights Movement began in a book by Betty Frieden called "The Feminine Mystique". It was a book about women not being satisfied with their role in society. She founded the national organization for women in 1966. They fought for the Equal Rights Amendment which disallowed discrimination.  By the late 1960's almost all women had acess to birth control, which was seen as a major progression as it gave women control over their reproductive role, and choice if they wanted a child or not. African-Americans made advancements through the "Great Society". Johnson convinced the congress to pass Kennedy's civil rights bill. It cut funding to any foundation that support discrimination. VISTA was then created to battle poverty.

Apartheid was a system, put on because of the All-White National party when they came into power during 1948. The doctrine was of separate development and white supremacy. The non-white South Africans could not marry outside of there own race and colour, travel where every they like, and choose where they want to live. Owning 87% of the land the white population was only a mere 15%. People who were not white were forced to live on the Bantustans. The law enforcement was very strict about this. The end to the apartheid came when in South Africa the Prime Minister P.W Botha made reforms in 1978. Blacks were able to do what they couldn't do from before. The reasons coming from P.M. Brian Mulroney of Canada in 1985 impose that Americans impose limited Sanctions. Botha responded by limiting the freedom of the foreign press. British Commonwealth called for sanctions, but Great Britain did not join. Reasons for this were due to the resistance movements that began calling for a revolution, trade unions had won the right to bargain and began protesting apartheid and economy imploded. Apartheid began to be opposed in the Dutch Reformed Church. Mandela in 1990 was released from prison and in 1994 began his democratic election with all races voting.