Legislation enacted by the U.S Congress and signed into law by several presidents over the past generation has addressed issues of gender discrimination. Following is an example of such legislation, and an indication of its impact, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary.

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal assistance."

Gender discrimination is required to be eliminated from educational institutions on all levels that receive federal funds, in such areas as admissions decisions, access to courses, athletic participation, athletic and general scholarships and counseling.

Educational institutions are required to advise everyone within their jurisdiction that sexual harassment is illegal, and to confront and address it where it does occur.

Under the law, pregnant students are granted maternity leave without jeopardizing the continuation of their education.

Today, females are slightly more likely than their male counterparts -- 88 to 87 percent -- to complete high school. In the 1970s, the reverse was true.

The average score of females on the mathematics section of the nationwide Scholastic Aptitude Test increased 19 points between 1982 and 1996. During the same period, the average score of male students rose 11 points.

A balance has been reached between young men and women earning college and university degrees. In 1970, about 13 percent of the nation's women and 20 percent of the male population had attained that level. By 1995, a similar proportion of young men and women -- about 25 percent had gained at least a bachelor's degree.

The United States has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of women entering traditionally male-dominated professional fields. In 1972, the year Title IX was enacted, nine percent of professional degrees in medicine went to women. By 1994, the figure had risen to 38 percent. In dentistry, one percent of the total number of degrees in 1972 were awarded to women. In 1994, the figure was 38 percent. Comparable figures in law show that seven percent of the degrees awarded in 1972 and 43 percent in 1994 went to women.

The number of females participating in high school sports has increased from less than 300,000 in 1971 to about 2.4 million a quarter-century later. More than 100,000 women participate in intercollegiate athletics today -- a fourfold gain since 1971, when less than 32,000 women were on intercollegiate fields, rinks and courts. Today, women constitute 37 percent of all college student athletes, a rise from 15 percent in 1972.

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(The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. government.)