Political Participation
Shaping their own future
When women participate in the political process, they shape policies in ways that reflect their interests and needs. The Status of Women in the States’ Political Participation Index looks at women as voters, grassroots activists and campaign fundraisers, and officeholders and examines the uneven progress they have made.
Articles and Publications
Dreams Deferred: A Survey on the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Survivors’ Education, Careers, and Economic Security
This report examines the educational, career, and economic effects of intimate partner violence by presenting findings from a survey of 164 survivors developed by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and administered at transitional housing programs, shelters, and other domestic violence programs in 11 states and the District of Columbia.
Sexual Harassment and Assault at Work: Understanding the Costs
Through a review of the current literature on sexual harassment and assault, this briefing paper highlights how workplace sexual harassment and assault affect women’s economic advancement and security, and the costs of these harms to employers (including estimates of financial losses where available). It also provides recommendations for preventing sexual harassment and reducing the negative effects of harassment for individuals and workplaces.
The Well-Being of Women in Utah in 2018
As of 2016, women in Utah still work outside of the home at similar rates to women nationally and—while not yet at the same levels as U.S. women—they also continue to pursue business ownership, make progress in educational attainment, and overcome some aspects of poverty.
The Shifting Supply and Demand of Care Work: The Growing Role of People of Color and Immigrants
As the Baby Boom generation matures and current unmet child care needs remain constant, the United States faces a burgeoning crisis in the demand for care workers. The market has slowly but surely begun to adapt, seeing an overall growth of 19 percent in the number of care workers between 2005 and 2015, with most of that growth in adult care. The U.S. Department of Labor suggests that this will only grow further, projecting that the economy will add more than 1.6 million jobs in occupations related to adult care by 2024 (Rolen 2017).
The Need to Promote Gender Diversity in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Patenting: Written Testimony Submitted to the House Small Business CommitteeThe Need to Promote Gender Diversity in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Patenting: Written Testimony Submitted to the House Small Business Committee
The Need to Promote Gender Diversity in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Patenting: Written Testimony Submitted to the House Small Business Committee
IWPR’s research finds that women patent inventions at much lower rates than men, which means that potential innovations to improve technology, treat illness, and improve everyday life are being left on the table.
The Status of Women in North Carolina: Employment & Earnings
North Carolina receives a grade of C for women’s employment and earnings, which is better than the D the state earned when The Status of Women in the States was published in 2004.
