They could object to marriages and choose their husbands. They were given more mobility. Their suffering did not diminish though. For example with the pressure in China for families to just have one child the discrimination against female babies has become problematic. In the past when rural families had girl babies they just continued having more until a boy was born but now with the new restrictions limitations are put on the families to produce boys.
Women are under even more pressure because every household wants a boy.
The situation is horrible and the rate of female babies killed is horrendous. More then just a product of histical systems of gender present day laws that try to address one social issue create even larger one.