Mom-mentum Advocacy eNews
Tuesday, March 17, 2015


 

International Women's Day on March 8 brought a flood of fascinating information about  the status of women all over the world. The UN Commission on the Status of Women convened its 59th meeting in New York City, and feminists from around the globe gathered to take stock of successes and the hard work still to be done. I've gathered the best of the best in this eNews, and I hope you enjoy it.
 
Best wishes,
Valerie Young
Your (Wo)man in Washington
DCDispatch
DC DISPATCH - FOCUS ON THE UNITED NATIONS

I went to New York City this week for the mass gathering of women at the UN known as CSW 59/Beijing + 20.  What struck me was how closely the US matched global averages in many of the metrics of women's status. 

  • Around the world, national legislatures are made up of 22% women; in the US, it's 20%.
  • Globally, the pay gap between men and women is 23%; in the US, it's 22%.  

Women with children suffer a wage penalty which increases with every child they have. In the US, a college-educated woman on average loses $800,000 over her lifetime due to the wage gap.

 

It was wonderful to be surrounded by women from the far corners of the world.  With all the advantages we have in the US, it's so surprising we are not closer to gender justice.

 

   

Article1
CARE & WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SECURITY

"One reason mothers are more likely than fathers to say it's harder to get ahead in the workplace may be that women are much more likely than men to experience a variety of family-related career interruptions. About four-in-ten working mothers (42%) say that at some point in their working life, they had reduced their hours in order to care for a child or other family member, while just 28% of working fathers say they had done the same... And mothers are more likely than fathers to say they quit their job at some point for family reasons, by 27% to 10%." Despite progress, women still bear heavier load than men in balancing work & family.

Article2New
PROGRESS IS NOT INEVITABLE

Many people tend to think women's status will improve over time all on its own. If this were so, it would have happened by now. Women are half the workforce and have for decades gotten more education than men, and now earn more degrees at every level. Without intentional change and different behavior, improvement is hardly guaranteed. The Institute for Women's Policy Research just released Status of Women in the States 2015. "The most striking finding from the study is that in the ten years since this data was last collected, women's economic status has gotten worse or stayed the same in almost half of the states" writes RH Reality Check. 
 
Article3New

 

Global corporation Vodaphone made headline news all over the US by announcing it would provide workers with 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. The rest of the world just shrugged, because paid maternity leave is a basic minimum labor standard most everywhere. Why would Vodaphone do such a thing?  Because they will save billions of dollars retaining talent, having the women come back to work recovered, bonded with their babies, and grateful for the financial security. Letting those valued employees walk away and having to recruit, hire and train new staff costs far, far more. 


 

Article4New
PUT DAD IN THE GAME!

 

Off course, fathers need paid leave when the baby comes just like mothers. Companies benefit from morale and productivity boosts. Families do better. Bryce Covert writes in Think Progress:

 

"Being there for the early months has ripple effects for fathers later into their children's lives. A dad who takes two or more weeks off after the birth of his child ends up more involved in his child's direct care nine months later - changing diapers, feeding, bathing - than a father who doesn't take leave. Men who can take paternity leave also end up being more competent and committed fathers later in their children's lives."
YourGift
Your Gift Makes a Difference for Families
Mom-mentum has helped thousands of families:
  • Get 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 Mom-mentum today OR read about the many benefits of membership and join now! Thank you for making a difference!

 




Mom-mentum
Engages mothers personally, 
enriches them professionally, and empowers
them through Public Policy

516.939.MOMS
www.Mom-mentum.org
www.Mom-mentum.org/blog