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.
The Status of Women in Michigan Report
A comprehensive study of women’s lives in Michigan.
The Status of Women in the District of Columbia Report
A comprehensive study of women’s lives in the District of Columbia. Available by mail in limited quantities.
The Status of Women in Maryland Report
A comprehensive study of women’s lives in Maryland.
Employment and Women’s Health
This analysis of the Commonwealth Fund 1993 of Women’s Health examines whether working women are healthier.
Child Care Usage Among Low-Income and AFDC Families
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A Feminist Perspective on the Federal Budget: A Summary
The economic gap between women and men- the wage gap, the gap in occupational representation, the gap in the amount of time spent caring for family members and doing housework - is slowly closing.