Employment and Earnings
The equal participation of women in politics and government is integral to building strong communities and a vibrant democracy in which women and men can thrive. By voting, running for office, and engaging in civil society as leaders and activists, women shape laws, policies, and decision-making in ways that reflect their interests and needs, as well as those of their families and communities.
Today, women constitute a powerful force in the electorate and inform policymaking at all levels of government. Yet, women continue to be underrepresented in governments across the nation and face barriers that often make it difficult for them to exercise political power and assume leadership positions in the public sphere. This chapter presents data on several aspects of women’s involvement in the political process in the United States: voter registration and turnout, female state and federal elected and appointed representation, and state-based institutional resources for women. It examines how women fare on these indicators of women’s status, the progress women have made and where it has stalled, and how racial and ethnic disparities compound gender disparities in specific forms of political participation.
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Political Participation Rank and Score by State
The Status of Women In the United States: Indicators of Economic & Health Well-Being for Women
Women’s Health in the Middle Years: Your Education. Your Occupation. Presentation by Elyse Shaw, Study Director, to CDC Office of Women’s Health
Pregnancy and Maternity Leave in the Trades: Good Practices for Apprentices
DOWNLOAD REPORT The physically strenuous work means that often it is not safe for pregnant women to work to the end of their pregnancy. While under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act it is illegal for employers to fire someone because she is pregnant, or [...]
The Economic Effects of Contraceptive Access: A Review of the Evidence (Fact Sheet)
Deciding whether and when to have a child is central to a woman’s economic well-being. It has implications for continuing education and joining the workforce, which can affect other long-term economic outcomes. As threats to abortion access increase and widen existing disparities, it is crucial to examine the range of economic effects that can result from this changing landscape.
The Economic Effects of Contraceptive Access: A Review of the Evidence
Deciding whether and when to have a child is central to a woman’s economic well-being. It has implications for continuing education and joining the workforce, which can affect other long-term economic outcomes. As threats to abortion access increase and widen existing disparities, it is crucial to examine the range of economic effects that can result from this changing landscape.
The Future of Care Work: Improving the Quality of America’s Fastest-Growing Jobs
Paid adult care work jobs are expected to increase substantially in the coming years, due to both an aging population and a comparatively low risk of automation for many of these jobs.
The Gender Wage Gap: 2018; Earnings Differences by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
DOWNLOAD REPORT The ratio of women’s and men’s median annual earnings was 81.6 percent for full-time, year-round workers in 2018, a statistically insignificant change from 2017 when it was 81.7 percent.[1] This ratio means that the gender wage gap for full-time, year-round workers [...]