Economic Security, Mobility and Equity (ESME)Administrator2023-09-30T21:30:05-05:00

Economic Security, Mobility and Equity (ESME)

Whether paid or unpaid, women’s work is crucial for their families’ economic security and well-being. Greater gender equality in paid and unpaid work will reduce poverty and improve economic growth and prosperity; persistent inequity in employment and family work is costing all of us. Women are held back by the undervaluation of historically female work, workplaces designed as if workers had no family responsibilities, and a broken-down work-family infrastructure.

IWPR’s ESME program highlights the extent of pay inequalities, and the role played by stark occupational segregation in perpetuating unequal pay. We conduct research and analysis on women’s labor force participation and employment trends; workforce development, non-traditional employment, and apprenticeships; the impact of sex discrimination and harassment on women’s career advancement and mobility; the gender pay gap and pay inequity across race and ethnicity; work-family policies and employer practices; the and the impact of automation and technological advances on women workers.

We work with policymakers, employers, advocates, and practitioners to identify promising practices and policy solutions.

2023 Native Women EPD Fact Sheet
Native Women Will Not Reach Pay Equity with White Men until 2144

November 30 is Native Women's Equal Pay Day and the inequities continue. In 2022, Native American and Alaskan Native women were paid only 54.7 cents per dollar paid to non-Hispanic White men. Native women working full-time year-round were paid just 58.9 cents for every dollar (a wage gap of 41.1 percent). Read more from the latest IWPR fact sheet.

Latina EPD 2023
New Data: Latinas Will Not Reach Pay Equity with White Men until 2207

In 2022, Latinas working full-time year-round were paid just 57.5 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men, an astounding gap that will take almost two centuries to remedy.

Wage Gap Sept 2023
Nationwide Women Still Make 84 Cents for Every Dollar a Man Makes, Won't Reach Pay Equity Until 2053

Pay inequities remain a key challenge for women in the workforce. New data shows how little progress is being made and how far we still have to go.

previous arrowprevious arrow
next arrownext arrow

Resilience in Hard Times: Young Women Report Optimism in the Face of Pandemic Recession

New IWPR survey data show that young women remain remarkably optimistic about achieving the “American dream” in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure young women stay on track toward achieving their dreams, policies that support them in their academic and professional pursuits should be prioritized.

By Jeff Hayes|December 13, 2021|

Unequal Present, Unfair Future: Young Black, Latina, and LGBTQ Women Face Greater Economic Challenges during the Pandemic

New IWPR survey data show young women’s experience of economic hardship during the COVID-19 crisis varied across racial/ethnic groups and gender and sexual identities—with some struggling more than others. To achieve an equitable recovery, policies should level the playing field by supporting young women who have been hit hardest.

By Shengwei Sun|December 13, 2021|

Lost Jobs, Stalled Progress: The Impact of the “She-Cession” on Equal Pay

In year one of COVID-19, the gender wage gap narrowed slightly only for full-time, year-round workers, with women in low-paying jobs bearing the brunt of the crisis. For all workers, the gender gap widened slightly.

By Ariane Hegewisch and Eve Mefferd|September 15, 2021|
Go to Top