DC Dispatch:  

When Hillary Clinton served as the Secretary of State, she took every opportunity to speak about the necessity of empowering women globally to bolster economic security and peace between nations.  As the current Secretary, John Kerry affirmed the country's ongoing commitment to women's rights during remarks he made recently in New York City. 

"Some of you may not be sports aficionados, but I'll tell you, I can tell you from just common sense that no team can ever win if half of its players are on the bench. And that is effectively where we are in so many parts of the world with respect to women and women's ability, opportunity, capacity to be able to take part and share in all aspects of society. We know that a country's economic competitiveness increases as the gender gap decreases, and that's clear to us in health and education, political participation, and in economic inclusion. And while we've made remarkable progress in the first two areas, health and education, I think everybody understands that we're still far from where we need to be when it comes to civic involvement and also economic opportunity for women. Even here in our country, we still have a huge differential in pay for the same work - the same work, less pay. Those are the barriers that we need to try to continue to break."

Talking about women by public officials at the highest levels in matters of domestic and foreign policy is a very recent development, and so very long overdue.  We can ensure that it continues if we make our reaction to it equally public.   Public servants get an earful when we disagree with them.  Letting them know when we approve of what they do is equally important (especially when it is so rare!)  When you hear an office holder discussing issues important to you, why not let them know that you care?  Props to you, Secretary Kerry.

...and Care Some More.

Our mounting need for long term care still lacks a plan.  There was a part of the Affordable Care Act which would have provided insurance coverage for these costs, poised to explode as the boomer generation hits their golden years, but it didn't survive the legislative process.  Michelle Singletary, and personal finance columnist in the Washington Post lays it out like this:  "Basically, individuals in need of services often don't have enough money to pay for long-term care. They mostly rely on family and friends, who often are also at their financial wits' end. Caregivers are overburdened and underpaid. If we don't figure out how to address this issue, the situation will get worse."

Mothers have been at their wits' end since forever, with no reliable paid sick leave or paid family leave program, and a child care system which cannot consistently offer affordable and high quality care.  There seems to be a perception, possibly among those without children, that caring for an aging parent creates more havoc with your career than having children will.   Reflecting on how the needs of her aging parents derailed her career in The Atlantic, this self-described "child free" author gets in over her head.  "While most women plan to some extent for how they'll juggle work and motherhood, and have the benefit of some sort of leave, few, if any, lay the groundwork at home or in the workplace for aging parent care."  What plan?  No employer in the US is required to offer paid maternity or paternity leave. Some are required to give time off, under certain circumstances to eligible employees, but the majority of the private sector workforce isn't eligible, and those that are often can't afford to take unpaid leave.  Some plan.

Truth is, all family caregivers are unprotected in the US, more so than in any other industrialized nation on earth.  Chances are someone cared for you, at great cost to themselves, and you will find yourself doing the same, for children, parents, ill or disabled spouses or partners, or some combination of the above.  One day, you will be the aging parent, and then you will need someone to help YOU.  Rather than an exceptional circumstance which exists for a finite period, we spend most of our lives somewhere on the care continuum, either giving or receiving care.  That's why it makes so much more sense to remove the institutional barriers and allow workers to be family caregivers when they have to, without sacrificing the connection to paid employment and the economic security it provides.

Does Your Health Insurance Have to Cover Contraceptive Costs?

Some employers are contending that their religious beliefs prevent them from providing employees with health insurance that includes coverage for contraceptive care.  Under federal law, all employers are required to provide this coverage at no cost to employees, except for religious groups and their affiliated institutions.  Dozens of lawsuits have been filed by private, non-religious businesses whose owners claim a moral objection to following the rule.  Courts across the country have arrived at different results.  The issue will likely be settled by the US Supreme Court, which steps in to settle disputes arising from conflicting decisions from the various jurisdictions.  "The administration is asking the Supreme Court to decide that for-profit corporations cannot deny their employees the health coverage of contraceptives to which the employees are otherwise entitled by federal law, based on the religious objections of the corporation's owners."  Do you think the religious convictions of your employer should determine what you health insurance policy covers, and what it doesn't?

Love and Marriage

Do you hear people complaining that today's married couples just don't try hard enough and divorce too quickly?  It's a charge I hear leveled at my contemporaries all the time, but I resist seeing divorce as a personal failing.  I wonder if divorce has increased in recent decades because marriage comes complete with complicated gender politics that a significant number of women would rather live without.  Half the married population is older than 50, and their divorce rate has doubled in the past 20 years.  According to new data reported in the New York Times, divorce is initiated more often by women, across all age groups.  It's certainly easier to obtain, and comes with less shame or social stigma than it used to.  However, it's also a factor in women's higher poverty rate, especially in later life.  On the other hand, people who are married are reporting an increase in marital happiness.  So we can end on a positive note!

Mothers' Centers have helped thousands of families:

• Make friends
• Learn from each other
• Find needed support  
• Advocate for our children's needs
• Discover valuable resources
• Find creative ways to manage work and family responsibilities
• And so much more!

Please consider making a tax-deductable donation  to the National Association of Mothers' Centers today.

Thank you for making a difference!