Equal, not Identical.

For the sake of sobriety, below is stated a brief on how Islam believes in equality, among everyone, including men and women. Before you read a single ayah and judge the belief, know that learning a single verse or a Hadith won’t do. Islam being a complete life-code covers all the details, sometimes by parts in various Hadiths and verses while sometimes not. This, however is a topic that demands a thorough study. Let me start with a self-explanatory ayah of Quran,

"If any do deeds of righteousness - be they male or female - and have faith, they will enter Paradise, and not the least injustice will be done to them."[4:124]

Further on the matter, some points are given below as things in which 

women can be given extra credits. (1)

·         Point no: 1 (Silk and Gold) 

a) Abu Dawood (3535) narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took a piece of silk in his right hand and a piece of gold in his left and said, ‘These two are forbidden for the males of my ummah.’” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3422. 
b) “These are haraam for the males of my ummah and permitted for the females.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 2/1189). 

·          Point no: 2 (Rights of Mother) 

A Mother has 3 times more right over her children then the father 
Proof: Saheeh Muslim Book 032, Number 6180:.Abu Huraira reported that a person came to Allah, 's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Who among the people is most deserving of a fine treatment from my hand? He said: Your mother. He again said: Then who (is the next one)? He said: Again it is your mother (who deserves the best treatment from you). He said: Then who (is the next one)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Again, it is your mother. He (again) said: Then who? Thereupon he said: Then it is your father 

·          Point no: 3 (Mahr) 

Man gives the dower to his wife even if it is mountain of Gold. 
Proof: Surah 4:4 (And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift) 

·          Point no: 4 (Monthly periods of women) 

Women are commanded in their monthly periods to leave prayers. 
Mu'adhah said: "I asked Aishah: Why must we make up the fasts missed due to our menstruation, but not the prayers [ missed through menstruation] ?" She said, "That was what the Messenger of Allah told us to do. We were ordered to make up the fasts, and we were ordered not to make up the prayers." [ Fiqh as-Sunnah 1.71a ] 

·         Point no: 6(Martyr when a woman die during child birth) 

If a woman dies with a child in her womb, or she dies during childbirth or after childbirth but within the period of nifaas (post-partum bleeding), she is considered to be a shaheedah in sha Allaah. according to hadith of Maalik (1/233) and Abu Dawood, 3/482)] 

And then there are some points USED as an excuse to claim Islam as a religion that believes in superiority of men. Given;

"..And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them.." [2:228]

    Though clearly, stated that women have rights similar to men in terms of 

regard and respect and expenses, etc. ‘men have a degree above women’ MEANS a degree above in terms of RESPONSIBILITY. Elsewise, as stated in the former part of the ayah men and women have similar rights over each other in kindness. 

    To be honest, many of the ‘fatwas’ deliver a wrong perception of this ayah. In my opinion, men have the responsibility of running the family, (that too given by its reasons) and therefore Allah has declared a degree over. It does not specify men as a superior sex rather identifies different responsibilities for men and women. Certainly, men and women are not alike. Given their differences, they are given different responsibilities and different accountabilities

(1) http://www.lifeofmuslim.com/2011/08/are-women-inferior-to-men-in-islam-what.html