Gender issues in Ved and Shaastra is related to the nature of nature, nature of human beings, nature of the universe etc, so this should not be confused with unequal treatment under the law or unequal social and economic opportunities for women or similar politically or culturally biased views that people or societies may have regarding the status of women, ability to learn, capacity for intelligence, capacity for leadership etc. actually, regarding these issues, the Hinduism or Sanaatan Dharm or Indian civilization record stands much taller than the rest of the world over the course of history.

Atharv Ved
Atharv 11.5.18
In this Mantra of Brahmcharya Sookt, it is emphasized that girls too should train themselves as students and only then enter into married life. The Sookta specifically emphasizes that girls should receive the same level of training as boys.

Girls should train themselves to become complete scholars and youthful through Brahmcharya and then enter married life.

Atharv Ved,  14.1.6
Parents should gift their daughter intellectuality and power of knowledge when she leaves for husband’s home. They should give her a dowry of knowledge.

When girls ignore external objects and develops foresight and vibrant attitude through power of knowledge, she becomes provider of wealth of skies and earth. Then she should marry an eligible husband.

Atharv Ved, 14.1.20
Oh wife! Give us discourse of knowledge. The bride may please everyone at her husband’s home through her knowledge and noble qualities.

Atharv Ved,  7.46.3
Teach the husband ways of earning wealth. Protector of children, having definite knowledge, worth thousands of prayers and impressing all directions, O women, you accept prosperity. O wife of deserving husband, teach your husband to enhance wealth.

Atharv Ved,  7.47.1
Oh woman! You are the keeper of knowledge of all types of actions (Karm). O woman, you provide us wealth and prosperity.

Atharv Ved,  7.47.2
Oh woman! You know everything. Please provide us strength of prosperity and wealth. O woman! You enhance our wealth and prosperity

Atharv Ved,  7.48.2
Oh woman! Please provide us with wealth through your intellect. Scholarly, respectful, thoughtful, happy wife protects and enhances wealth and bring happiness in home.

Atharv Ved,  14.1.64
Oh woman! Utilize your Vaidik intellect in all directions of our home! O bride! Reach the home of scholars and bring bliss and happiness by ruling your home

Atharv Ved,  2:36:5
Oh bride! Step into the boat of prosperity and take your husband beyond the ocean of worldly troubles into realms of success. O bride! Step into the indestructible boat of prosperity and take your husband to shores of success.

Atharv Ved,  1.14.3
Oh groom! This bride will protect your entire family.O groom! This bride is protector of your entire family. May she dwell in your home for a period and sow seeds of intellect.

Atharv Ved,  2.36.3
May this bride become the queen of the house of her husband and enlighten all.

Atharv Ved,  11.1.17
These women are pure, sacred and Yagyeeya (as respected as Yagya); they provide us with subjects, animals and food. These women are pure, sacred, worth being worship, worth being served, of great character, scholarly. They have given subjects, animals and happiness to the entire society.

Atharv Ved,  12.1.25
Oh motherland! Give us that aura which is present in girls. May we have the same aura and prosperity as in women!

Atharv Ved,  12.2.31
Ensure that these women never weep out of sorrow. Keep them free from all diseases and give them ornaments and jewels to wear.

Atharv Ved,  14.1.20
Hey wife! Become the queen and manager of everyone in the family of your husband.

Atharv Ved,  14.1.50
Hey wife! I am holding your hand for prosperity

Atharv Ved,  14.1.61
Hey bride! You shall bring bliss to all and direct our homes towards our purpose of living

Atharv Ved,  14.2.71
Hey wife! I am knowledgeable and you are also knowledgeable. If I am Saam Ved then you are Rig Ved.

Atharv Ved,  14.2.74
This bride is illuminating. She has conquered everyone’s hearts! May the bride be victorious and prosperous!

Atharv Ved,  7.38.4 and 12.3.52
Women should take part in the legislative chambers and put their views on forefront.

Rig Ved
Rig Ved,  10.85.7
Parents should gift their daughter intellectuality and power of knowledge when she leaves for husband’s home. They should give her a dowry of knowledge.

Rig Ved,  3.31.1
The right is equal in the fathers property for both son and daughter

Rig Ved, 10.159
A women speaks after waking up in morning, “My destiny is as glorious as the rising sun. I am the flag of my home and society. I am also their head. I can give impressive discourses. My sons conquer enemies. My daughter illuminates the whole world. I myself am winner of enemies. My husband has infinite glory. I have made those sacrifices which make a king successful. I have also been successful. I have destroyed my enemies.”
The sun has gone up; my prosperity and happiness also have mounted high. Quite sure, I have regained the love of my husband, triumphing over my rivals.
I am the emblem, I am the head, I am supreme and now I dictate; my husband must conform to my will; rivals now I have none.
My sons are destroyers of my enemies; my daughter is a queen; and I am victorious. My and my husband’s love has a wide reputation.
O enlightened, I have offered that oblation which has been offered by the one, the most illustrious and thus I have become renowned and most powerful; I have freed myself from my rival damsels.
I am free from rivals; I am now the destructress of rivals, victorious and triumphant; I have seized other’s glory as if it were the wealth of weaker dames, who do not endure long. I have gained victory over these my rivals, so that I have my imperial sway over this hero and his people.
Shachee is the Rishi as well as the Devataa of the hymn. Shachee is the Queen-Empress of the State or the Queen on her own accounts in a democratic state (the lady-President, or the Lady-Prime Minister of the State). Her sons and daughters are also dedicated to the State.

Rig Ved,  1.164.41
One Ved, two Ved, or four Ved along with Aayur Ved, Dhanur Ved, Gandharv Ved, Arth Ved etc in addition with education, Kalp, grammar, Nirukt, astrology, meters i.e the six Vedaang should be attained by the clear-minded woman, which is equivalent to the crystal-clear water and spread this diversified knowledge among the people.

O men and women! A scholarly woman who has practiced or teaches one, two or four Ved or four Ved and four Upa-Ved, along with grammar, etymology etc and spreads knowledge to whole world and removes ignorance of people is source of happiness for entire world. A woman who studies and teaches all parts of Vedas brings progress to all human beings.

Rig Ved, 10.85.46
Like wise in so many other mantras a woman has been presented to play an essential role in family and as wife. Similarly she has been given the lead stage in society works, in governmental organizations, and for ruling the nation is also mentioned in Ved.

Rig Ved contains several Sookt containing description of Ushaa as a God. This Ushaa is representation of an ideal woman. Please refer “Ushaa Devataa” by Pt Sri Pad Damodar Satvalekar as part of “Simple Translation of Rig Ved (Rig Ved ka Subodh Bhashya)”. Page 121-147 for summary of all such verses spread across entire Rig Ved. In summary:
1. Women should be brave (Page 122, 128)
2. Women should be expert (Page 122)
3. Women should earn fame (Page 123)
4. Women should ride on chariots (Page 123)
5. Women should be scholars (Page 123)
6. Women should be prosperous and wealth (Page 125)
7. Women should be intelligent and knowledgeable (Page 126)
8. Women should be protector of family and society and get in army (Page 134, 136)
9. Women should be illuminating (Page 137)
10. Women should be provider of wealth, food and prosperity (Page 141-146)

Yajur Ved
Yajur Ved, 20.9
There are equal rights for men and women to get appointed as ruler.

Yajur Ved,  31.11
In this Mantra the Braahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shoodra are there in each human body. Braahman from the head, king from the shoulders, Vaishya from the thigh, and Shoodra by feet. The progeny of the Shoodra through his Karm (actions) can grow to be a Braahman.

Yajur Ved,  16.44
There should me a women army. Let the women be encouraged to participate in war.

Yajur Ved,  10.26
In this Mantra it is enforced that the wife of ruler should give education of politics to the others. Likewise the king do justice for the people, the queen should also justify her role.

Yajur Ved
Om Devyo Bhootasya Prathamajaa Makhasya Vo'dya Shiro Raadhyaasam Dev Yajane Prithvyaa:
Makhaaya Twaa Makhasya Twaa Sheershane
Until the women are learned, a high quality education cannot be promoted

Saraswatee, Maataa, Ushaa, Aditi or Devee do not refer to some divine forms that no one has ever witnessed. On the contrary, they refer to the women living on this earth. It is mark of a fool to discard the diamonds in his home and pray for pebbles to be showered from skies!
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Men and Women Are the two Aspects of Divinity:-
As per Vedaant, man and woman are two aspects of the same divinity.
(See Shwetaaswatar Upanishad, 4.3;   Brihadaaranyak Upanishad, 1.4.3.)
But what more Pramaan is required to sustain the point - the Lord himself is as Ardh Naareeshwar.

That there was equal opportunity for both of them is established with the examples of Maitreyee, and Vaagabharanee
(see Brihadaaranyak Upanishad, 2.4.3-5., and Rig Ved, 10.125).

The Brahm Vidyaa of Vaagaambrni, the intellectualism of Gaargee Vaachaknavee, the Yaugik mysticism of of Sulabhaa, the scholarship of Arundhatee etc are all well documented.
(see Rig Ved, 10.125.1-8;   Brihadaaranyak Upanishad, 3.6.1., Mahaabhaarat, Shaanti Parv 320;   Mahaabhaarat, Anushaasan Parv 130 etc.,)

More than thirty women sages (like Vishwavaraa, Apaalaa, Ghoshaa, Kaksheevatee etc) are mentioned in Rig Ved itself.
Upanayan for girls which was in existence during Vaidik times had vanished by the time of Manu. (around 200 BC).
Why only men and women, even every creature in the world, are the Aatmaa which is immortal, pure consciousness.
Jeev is sometimes born in a male body and sometimes as a female.
This was known to our ancestors and that is why there was equal opportunity for both men and women.

Social upheavals and frequent foreign invasions contributed to the gradual decline in their status.
Child marriages and the problems of young widows cropped up as a result.
Though divorces were unknown, remarriage of women was permitted when husband died before consummation or when he was missing for a long time or when he took Sanyaas.