An official change, correction, or addition made to a law, document, or statement. It usually follows a formal process and becomes part of the original text.
From Old French *amendement* (“correction, improvement”), based on *amender* (“to improve”). In English, it took on a strong legal and political sense, especially in constitutions.
Every amendment is a kind of negotiated self-correction—a society editing itself. In some countries, the word is almost sacred because famous rights live in their amendments. It’s a reminder that even our most important rules are drafts, not final versions.
In many legal systems, key amendments historically excluded women and gender minorities from full rights, or granted them only after long struggle (e.g., suffrage amendments). The term itself is neutral, but its legal history is intertwined with campaigns to remove gender discrimination from constitutions and statutes.
When discussing amendments, be explicit about whose rights or interests are affected, and avoid assuming a default male subject in examples.
["change","revision","update","modification"]
When relevant, acknowledge women and gender‑diverse activists, lawyers, and legislators who led amendment campaigns expanding voting, property, and employment rights.
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