SWS – Work and FamilyAdministrator2021-09-17T16:12:41-05:00

Work and Family

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

Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope (Executive Summary)

This report draws on the IWPR/WAGE Consent Decree Database to analyze the injunctive relief awarded in 502 sex and/or race discrimination settlements that became effective between 2000 and 2008. (Executive Summary)

By Ariane Hegewisch, Cynthia Deitch and Evelyn Murphy|March 27, 2011|Executive Summary|

Organizations Working with Latina Immigrants: Resources and Strategies for Change

DOWNLOAD REPORT IWPR’s study explored the challenges many Latina immigrants face and the ways that nonprofit organizations and congregations strive to address them in three areas with rapidly growing immigrant populations: Atlanta, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Northern Virginia, a region within the Washington, [...]

Separate and Not Equal? Gender Segregation in the Labor Market and the Gender Wage Gap

Occupational gender segregation is a strong feature of the US labor market. While some occupations have become increasingly integrated over time, others remain highly dominated by either men or women. Our analysis of trends in overall gender segregation shows that, after a considerable move towards more integrated occupations in the 1970s and 1980s, progress has completely stalled since the mid 1990s.

Women, Disasters, and Hurricane Katrina

Major disasters during the last decade have pushed planners and researchers to examine more closely the disparities among those hurt when crises hit. Research suggests that women often suffer disproportionately in comparison to most men when disaster strikes, while the elderly, and people in poverty, are more vulnerable than those with more mobility and those with greater access to resources.

By Jane Henrici, Allison Suppan Helmuth and Jackie Braun|August 28, 2010|Fact Sheet|

Child Care Support for Student Parents in Community College Is Crucial for Success, but Supply and Funding Are Inadequate

Of the over 6 million students earning college credit at community colleges, 1.7 million (27 percent) are parents. Of those, about 1 million (16 percent) are single parents, more than twice the proportion at 4-year institutions. Three-quarters of single parents in college are women.

By Administrator|May 31, 2010|Fact Sheet, Student Parent Success Initiative|