The purpose of the present study was three-fold. First, it examined the extent of gender discrimination in the enjoyment of the human rights defined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Before action can be taken against gender discrimination, knowledge of the range and depth of the discrimination is required. Second, this research analyzed the relationship between gender specific deprivation of these human rights and governmental and international programs, projects and resource allocations. Third, this work built an index which can be used to measure and evaluate women's realization of those rights listed in the Economic Covenant. Data was collected at approximately five year intervals (1975, 1980, 1985 and 1990) in order to discern trends, that is, progressive growth, stagnation or deterioration in the realization of economic and social rights. On the basis of a cross-national statistical analysis, it appears that economic development and governmental expenditures on health, education and the military can contribute to the protection and provision of women's attainment of their economic and social human rights. Specifically, governmental spending on health and education significantly improves women's realization of their rights. Domestic military expenditures have a lesser, but none-the-less positive, effect on women's rights. Due to poor planning, donor self-interest and political encumbrances international foreign aid programs (food aid, Official Development Assistance and foreign military aid) are deleterious for the advancement of women's rights. Geographical region proved a strong predictor of women's achievement of economic and social rights. These findings lead to the conclusion that indigenous factors are very important in explaining variations in the realization of women's human rights.
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