Married Woman's Property Rights Association facts for kids

The Married Woman Property Association (Swedish: Föreningen för gift kvinnas äganderätt) was a Swedish group that worked for women's rights. It was active in Sweden from 1873 to 1896. Its main goal was to change laws to make women equal to men. The group wanted to reform marriage laws. They aimed to stop husbands from having full control over their wives. They also wanted married women to be able to manage their own money. Even though its name focused on property, the association worked on many other women's rights issues too. It is seen as the first women's rights organization in Sweden.

What Was the Married Woman Property Association?

The Married Woman Property Association was a pioneering group in Sweden. It aimed to bring about important changes for women. At the time, married women had very few legal rights. They were often treated like children in the eyes of the law. This meant their husbands controlled their money and property. The association wanted to change this unfair system. They believed women should have the same rights as men.

Starting a New Movement

The association was started in 1873. Two women, Anna Hierta-Retzius and Ellen Anckarsvärd, helped create it. A male politician named Gustaf Fridolf Amlquist was the official head. Most members were women from wealthy families. Some were also men who believed in liberal ideas. Famous members included Amanda Kerfstedt and Ellen Key. This group was important because it was the first of its kind in Sweden.

Fighting for Fairer Laws

The association worked hard to change what people thought about women's rights. They wanted to introduce new laws for equality. Their first big goal was to give married women control over their own property. This was a very debated topic. Back then, married women were legally seen as "minors." This meant their husbands were their guardians. Husbands had control over everything their wives owned. This was true unless a special agreement was made before marriage. The association wanted to end this system. They wanted husbands to no longer be legal guardians over their wives.

What They Achieved

The association had some important successes:

• In 1874, a new law allowed professional married women to control the money they earned. This was a big step forward.
• In 1884, another reform gave married women control over their inheritance. They could also control other property they owned.
• In the same year, unmarried women gained full legal rights at age 21. This was the same age as men.

However, these victories were not complete. Husbands still kept their guardianship over their wives in many ways.

Encouraging Women to Vote

Besides property rights, the association worked on other issues. In the 1880s, they started a campaign. They wanted more women to vote in local elections. Since 1862, women who were considered adults (unmarried, divorced, or widowed) could vote. They could vote in city elections if they owned enough property. The association encouraged these women to use their right to vote. In the 1887 local elections, about 10-15 percent of voters were women. This showed their efforts were working.

The End of the Association

In 1896, the Married Woman Property Association joined another group. It became part of the Fredrika-Bremer-Förbundet. After this, the association stopped working as a separate group. Its work and goals continued through the new, larger organization.