“Obama is also pushing for more favorable workplace policies such as paid work leave, minimum wage increases and greater access to pre-K education. These policies are popular with women, many of whom must balance full-time jobs with domestic duties, and often have to take time off to tend to sick children or family.

‘Don’t punish people for looking after their families,’ said

Ariane Hegewisch, study director at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. ‘If you look at who is poor and who is likely to remain poor, women are the majority.’

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research estimates that the poverty rate for working women would be cut in half if women earned as much as men.”