Liberal political theory operates according to the principles of individual choice, personal freedom and religious toleration, grounded in the notion of individual rights. Within this tradition group rights are viewed with suspicion and seen as inherently dangerous and oppressive if they fail to acknowledge conflict and diversity within the group.

Recently, however, liberals have begun to argue that group interests may, in fact, be accommodated within the framework of individual rights. State law rather than federal law governed women’s rights in the early Republic. The authority of state law meant that much depended upon where a woman lived and the particular social circumstances in her region of the country. The disparity in standards can perhaps be seen most dramatically in the experience of African American women.

Within Asia income disparities between rich and poor are increasing prompting many women to migrate just to survive. While some of these women are eager to improve their lives, in other cases daughters are pressured to migrate to support their families in dire financial straits. However in many cases these women pay heavy price for their freedom.