The primary focus of the women's rights movement in the early 20th century was the struggle for suffrage or the right to vote. Activists campaigned vigorously for legal reforms that would allow women to participate in the democratic process. Key organizations, such as the National American Woman Suffrage Association and various local leagues, mobilized women across the country to advocate for equality. This movement not only sought voting rights but also aimed to challenge societal norms concerning women's roles, leading to significant advances in gender equality and culminating in the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.