Publications
Across Degrees, Titles, and States, Black Women Earn Just 64 Cents on the Dollar
In 2023, Black women earned just 64.4 cents for every dollar made by White men when looking at all workers with earnings. This pay inequity isn’t new, and at the current rate—and without any significant policy changes—it could take over 200 years to close [...]
State-Level Abortion Restrictions Cost the US Economy $133 Billion
In the three years since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the human and economic toll of abortion restrictions remains staggering, impacting all women but especially women of color. IWPR’s latest estimates show that the 16 states with the most restrictive abortion policies are [...]
Cost, Coverage, and Contraception: How Policy Can Improve Access for Community College Students
Community college students face unique challenges in accessing contraception due to financial instability, lack of health insurance, and limited access to on-campus health services. This policy brief examines barriers to health care and contraceptive access, describes the impact of policies on affordability and access, [...]
When Hospitals Vanish, Mothers Die: Why Giving Birth Is Riskier in These US States
The rapid erosion of the maternity care infrastructure in the United States threatens to worsen the ongoing Black maternal health crisis and will increase the demand and need for birth workers, including midwives and doulas. Read more from our latest Quick Figure. READ MORE [...]
Birth Work Under Pressure: Supporting Black Midwives and Doulas Amid a Changing Landscape
Since the earliest days of the United States, Black birth workers have played a critical role in maternal health, delivering a level of care and joy Black women rarely find in the “institutional” medical system. However, because of numerous barriers, women of color represent [...]
If Parenting Came with a Paycheck, Mothers of Young Children Would Earn $450 Billion a Year
Caregiving takes time, particularly for mothers. On an average day in 2023, mothers of younger children spent 2.5 hours exclusively on child care (primary care) and another 6.5 hours supervising children in combination with other activities. While fathers also spent time caring for kids—averaging [...]
