* Women were employed in factories, taking up many traditionally male jobs like engineering, shipbuilding, and steelwork.
* They filled vital roles in industries that supported war production, such as munitions, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
Expanded Public Roles and Influence:
* Women participated in new social welfare initiatives and political organizations.
* Examples: Britain’s Women’s Land Army, Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and the United States' Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA).
Growth of Suffrage Movements:
* Women's contributions during the war strengthened the argument that they deserved equal political rights.
* Suffrage movements gained momentum, influencing governments to recognize women's rights.
Changes in Social Norms and Expectations:
* Women's war contributions altered societal views of women's capabilities.
* This shifted cultural norms and paved the way for greater participation in public life.
Impacts on Women’s Legal Rights:
* After contributing significantly to the war, many nations extended or expanded women's right through reforms.
* Examples include the Representation of the People Act (1918) in the UK and the Nineteenth Amendment in the US.
These changes persisted beyond World War I, reshaping the roles of women in liberal democracies and their ongoing fight for equality and empowerment.