1. Don’t wear false teeth without your husband’s permission.
Women, if you're thinking of moving to Vermont, USA, you might want to visit the dentist first. At the very least, bear in mind that you won't be able to wear false teeth there unless your husband's ok with it.
This Vermont law is just one example of sexist, outdated and absurd rules that only serve to limit what women can do. In Guinea, women are not even allowed to have a separate profession from their husband if he objects. In fact, there are 18 countries where husbands can prevent their wives from working – and they're all holding back progress on ending poverty.
2. Don’t be a carpenter, don’t try to install an antenna in a high place, and definitely don’t do any of it at night.
Women in Russia are barred from a total of 456 jobs – from carpentry to installing antennas up high. The country's not alone when it comes to discriminating against women in the workplace – 29 countries do not permit women to work at night. All in all, 153 countries have laws which discriminate against women economically.
But it's not just laws that are holding everybody back. Sometimes traditional attitudes and beliefs can be just as damaging. Just ask the female dairy farmers Oxfam works with in rural Bangladesh, where it's considered inappropriate for women to sell their cows' milk in a market.
3. Don’t treat yourself to sanitary towels or tampons without paying tax.
In the UK, everyone pays VAT on 'luxury' items like sanitary towels and tampons. But we don't have to pay tax on essential items like, erm, Jaffa Cakes. The 5% VAT women pay on sanitary protection is widely considered to be an unfair tampon tax – and it's levied in many other countries worldwide, too.
That's not the only way that women are penalised for having a period. A lack of sanitary facilities in developing countries means many girls don't go to school when they have their periods. In a world where too many girls are denied an education anyway, it's just one other thing that's blocking a vital route out of poverty.
4. Don’t enter a cemetery.
That one goes for every woman in Saudi Arabia.
5. Don’t read an uncensored fashion magazine.
Well, this is awkward... That's Saudi Arabia too.
6. Don’t open a bank account without your husband’s permission.
Yep, you guessed it! This law, like the last two, apply to women in Saudi Arabia. Although women there were finally allowed to vote at the end of last year, they're still limited in many areas of their lives. These laws might seem like extreme examples, but women and girls all over the world know what it feels like to be held back.
Whether it's a lack of access to education, job opportunities or rights, discrimination against women and girls is making poverty worse for everyone.
7. Don’t take state mottos too seriously.
In the US state of New Hampshire, the state motto is 'Live free or die.' This in the place where it's still technically possible for girls to get married at 13. In this case, early marriage affects boys too – they can get married at 14.
But worldwide it's girls that are disproportionately affected. More than 700 million women alive today were married as children. These girls are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence – both factors will keep them trapped in poverty.
8. Don’t be a full witness in court (because you’re half a person).
Remember that if you're in Yemen. When it comes to legal testimony, the 2005 Freedom House report says that a woman cannot be "recognised as a full person before the court."
Women still have a lower legal status than men in 128 countries, making it harder for many to get justice. With little or no say over the decisions that affect their lives, it's almost impossible for the world's poorest women to escape poverty.
9. Don’t travel abroad unless your husband says so.
Niloufar Ardalan, aka Lady Goal, is an Iranian female football star who missed an international tournament because her husband refused to give her permission to travel abroad. Iranian law requires married women to get their husband's permission to travel – or even to renew their passport. And it's not just Iran – there are 32 countries where women cannot apply for passports in the same way as men.
10. Don’t expect the law to keep you safe...
...In Myanmar, in Uzbekistan, in Armenia – or in the 43 other countries which have no laws protecting women against domestic violence. Without this kind of protection, it's virtually impossible for women to reach their potential and escape poverty.
There is hope, though. Today, 127 countries have at least some laws protecting women against violence – a number that's grown dramatically over the last few decades.
11. Don’t expect equal pay for equal work.
Anywhere. The World Economic Forum believes it will take another 118 years – or until 2133 – until the global pay gap between men and women is finally closed. So even our daughters could be underpaid their entire working lives. That's not good enough – which is why the UN has set a global goal to achieve gender equality by 2030. And that means paying women properly for the work they do.
DISCRIMINATION'S NOT JUST WRONG – IT'S MIND-BLOWINGLY RIDICULOUS.
For more information, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/women
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