2015 INSTITUTEINSTITUTE for for QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER Women’sQUARTERLY Policy NEWSLETTER Research Women’s Policy Research ANNUAL REPORT 2015 Review: A Breakthrough Year
our flagship project begun in 1996, among celebrities like Meryl Streep, this was our first national report Jennifer Lawrence, and Patricia since 2004. SWS 2015 illuminates Arquette. When the media report important issues facing women in on these discussions, they rely on their everyday lives and features IWPR for the facts. two new chapters, "Work & Family” The continuation of our Status On behalf of the Institute for and “Violence & Safety,” along of Women project has remained a Women’s Policy Research, I am with an evocative forward by IWPR priority as we prepared and released pleased to present the 2015 annual Board Chair, Holly Fechner. the Status of Women in the South report edition of our newsletter, IWPR’s Status of Women in the report in February 2016, the first which provides a review of IWPR’s States findings struck a chord in report to provide a comprehensive activities and accomplishments. In popular culture, with a spread in portrait of the status of women, 2015 the Institute saw strong growth Glamour and many references to particularly the status of women of and great success. our facts and figures on television color, in the southern states. The amount of research IWPR and in social media. IWPR Vice In the following pages, we have conducts continues to amaze Chair Lorretta Johnson also compiled some of the Institute’s top me considering our staff size. brought attention to the Institute’s findings and stories from the last We produced more than 100 research on pay equity and union year. We appreciate your continued publications in 2015, each one representation by writing about support and invite you to share paving the way for positive our Union Wage Advantage in our enthusiasm as we continue policy change. After more than a study, supported by the American paving the way for women in 2016. decade of producing research that Federation of Teachers, in Ebony demonstrates the many benefits at the end of the summer. In the of paid sick days and paid family past year, equal pay has become leave for women and families, we a popular topic of conversation at IWPR are thrilled to see these policies gaining traction. In 2015 alone, six cities, the State of Oregon, IWPR 2015: Highlights and one county implemented press citations in outlets state fact sheets, briefing policies to provide paid sick days to including Glamour, TIME, papers, and reports workers. And The New York Times CNN, Fortune, and The has already labeled 2016 “a big one 2,100 for paid family leave.” Washington Post 66 In May, we launched the Status of Women in the States report, an outstanding, comprehensive volume of rigorous data and analysis on Inside Amy Schumer skits featuring the many factors that determine IWPR research on Pay Equity and the status of women across the 119 Discrimination United States. A continuation of publications released 2 Changing the Conversation
“When we change our statistics, we can change our culture. And when we change our culture, we can change the everyday lives of women and girls who live here.” - Cindy Ross, board chairwoman of the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition and president emeritus of Cameron University
IWPR engages a wide audience achieved this year, including shift national and local policy by expertly distilling its findings references by comedians Amy conversation towards the needs and disseminating the information Schumer on Inside Amy Schumer of women. This shift in discourse in a way that is actionable, and Kristen Schaal on The Daily is crucial because highly visible concise, and engaging. This Show with Jon Stewart, as well policy initiatives often exclude past year, IWPR experienced an as news sources, including The girls and women. For instance, unprecedented number of citations Atlantic, The New York Times, PBS President Obama’s My Brother’s in both established news sources NewsHour, Politico, Fortune, USA Keeper Task Force was established and popular media, bringing Today, The Washington Post, and in February 2014 to promote a the needs of women and gender National Journal, among others. better quality of life and success inequalities to the center of the Community leaders, among boys and young men national conversation. It was truly policymakers, and advocates of color. IWPR responded by exciting to witness the incredible rely on IWPR to reveal the releasing Toward Our Children’s amount of media attention IWPR stories behind the statistics and Keeper: An Analysis of the Interim
IWPR Vice President and Executive Director Barbara Gault (far right) at the 2015 Student Parent Support Symposium.
2 www.iwpr.org New Orleans, April 2010. Photo credit: Jane Henrici, Ph.D.
Report of the My Brother’s Keeper voice to those who are the most Initiative Shows the Shared Fate of marginalized and economically I didn’t think about not Boys and Girls of Color, a report vulnerable. Recognizing the 10- “ prepared for the African American year anniversary of Hurricane ever going back home, Policy Forum that finds no Katrina, IWPR released Get to the because it was just like, evidence to justify excluding girls Bricks: The Experiences of Black I’ll be back, never and young women of color from Women from New Orleans Public the special attention and resources Housing After Hurricane Katrina, thinking that I was that the My Brother’s Keeper an in-depth ethnographic going to be homeless. Initiative provides for boys and analysis based on interviews ” young men of color. In fact, only 9 conducted over a two-year period -study participant quote from IWPR of the 114 data-based statements that looked at the post-Katrina report, Get to the Bricks: The Experiences made in the report supporting experiences of low-income black of Black Women from New Orleans Public Housing After Hurricane Katrina, the MBK initiative show males of women living in New Orleans released in advance of the 10th An- color to be worse off than females public housing when the storm niversary of the Hurricane and subse- of color. Most of the report's data hit the city in 2005. Get to the quent flooding in New Orleans. statements are actually about Bricks spotlights these women’s children, undifferentiated by experiences as they describe gender. Toward Our Children’s the challenges they faced. In Keeper makes the case that the wake of disaster, the lack investing in both girls and boys of of services and the inability to color should be a national priority. return home strikingly revealed IWPR identifies the trends and the inadequacies of existing urban quantifiable evidence of the many infrastructure and public policies ways women experience policies that marginalized low-income differently from men and gives women and their families.
Informing policy. Inspiring change. Improving lives. 3 Collaborating for Lasting Progress "When we invest in women, we invest in entire communities. Our recent program with Women's Funding Alliance, discussing a new report [by IWPR] on The Status of Women in Washington, revealed opportunities to improve not just the status of women and girls in our state, but also the status of our children, families, racial and ethnic minorities, employers, colleges and governing bodies." - Gloris Estrella, Philanthropy Northwest's learning network
The partnerships between IWPR translated the union advantage into For example, in July 2015, the and our network of researchers, tangible benefits, finding that the Department of Labor (DOL) academics, policy organizations, union wage advantage for women released its proposed rule to raise unions, and advocates have was enough to cover the cost of the overtime salary threshold mutually strengthened and child care in 32 states. from $23,660 to $50,440 per year. broadened the impact of our In October, IWPR produced the Salaried workers who make below work. In 2015, groups such as report, Reproductive Health and the threshold would automatically the Women’s Funding Network Women’s Educational Attainment: be eligible for overtime pay when (WFN) and the American Women’s Funds’ Strategies to they work more than 40 hours per Federation of Teachers (AFT) Improve Outcomes for Women, week. On the heels of this proposal, dedicated energy and resources in conjunction with WFN and IWPR and MomsRising released to support the national launch presented at its annual conference, the report, How the New Overtime of IWPR’s signature report: The “Paths to Equity: Innovative Rule Will Help Women & Families, Status of Women in the States Philanthropy for Women and revealing that women would be 2015, from the launch of the Status Girls.” The report analyzes the disproportionately benefited by of Women interactive website effect of access to reproductive the increased salary threshold. Of (www.statusofwomendata.org) health services on women’s the 5.9 million currently exempt to the May 20 release event in educational attainment and workers who would benefit, 3.2 Washington, D.C. economic security and outlines million women would be newly For Labor Day weekend, working barriers that prevent access to such covered, compared with 2.7 with the AFT to highlight the services, particularly for students million men. IWPR’s report also findings on women and unions, the and women of color. shows that single mothers, Black Institute produced a briefing paper, IWPR often collaborates with and Hispanic women, and women The Union Advantage for Women. its partners to shed light on how working in service occupations The paper featured an analysis that new initiatives will affect women. would benefit the most from the
4 www.iwpr.org Registration table at IWPR’s release of Status of Women in the States: 2015.
rule change. Using findings from Institute’s collaborative efforts with it is rewarding to witness the the report, MomsRising members women’s groups and advocates momentum both types of policy submitted 16,432 comments to the at the state and local levels has change are gaining. The research DOL to express support for the informed the passage of recent and analysis that IWPR provided proposed overtime rule. paid sick days protections in in 2015 supported calls to action IWPR draws on its partnerships Oregon, Montgomery County and ignited change by revealing to amplify important findings (MD), and Pittsburgh, adding to inequalities in access and low and expand the reach of its the 18 cities and 3 states already rates of sick days access and resources. In turn, the partnering guaranteeing paid sick days as usage, particularly among workers organizations rely upon IWPR’s a minimum labor standard. As serving the public in restaurants, thorough, reliable data analysis IWPR has presented the benefits child care centers, and nursing to achieve positive advances of paid sick days and paid family homes, among others. for women. The success of the leave across the last decade,
The [Status of Women in the States: 2015] report is a wonderful tool, and the “projected years for closing the gender wage gap are a great way to frame the conversation around pay equity! ” - Kristin Ginger, Communications Coordinator, Women Employed
Informing policy. Inspiring change. Improving lives. 5 Breaking New Policy Ground
"I wanted to thank you on behalf of Gateway Community and Technical College as a whole for allowing us to attend such a motivating and resourceful symposium. We walked away with so many more new ideas and best practices, it truly was a gift in and of itself. I applaud IWPR and the work that you all strive for on a daily basis."
- Sarah Young, Community Resource Success Coach, Student Development: Non-Academic Support Services, Gateway Community and Technical College (Covington, KY)
The Institute was successful development outcomes for women to their male counterparts, in advancing the debate on are current focal points of our particularly if they are poor, women's policy in 2015, while research. elderly, disabled, or do not also envisioning the next frontier IWPR brought to light the conform to societal norms. Urban of meaningful policy changes. challenges women face as planning using a gendered lens Just as IWPR led the way for paid urbanization increases around the is a relatively new concept and sick days and paid family leave globe in the white paper, Gender, research in this area is essential through compelling research, it is Urbanization and Democratic to informing programs and laying the research groundwork Governance, commissioned by the policies that promote sustainable in policy territories largely National Democratic Institute. development and female unexplored. Topics like gender Though women have found ways empowerment. and urbanization, student parent to enter the political sphere, to Launched in 2010, the Student support services, and the impact an extent, urban women face Parent Success Initiative (SPSI) saw of support services in workforce significant barriers compared many breakthroughs on the topic
Degree Attainment within 6 Years of Enrollment for Public 2-Year Students by of student parents in 2015, as many Selected Characteristics, 2003-09 policymakers and administrators 38.9% grappled with the increasing 34.5% costs of higher education and 28.2% unequal access to educational 26.2% 26.1% opportunities. IWPR provides technical assistance to community 14.1% colleges around the United States on how to address the needs of student parents on campus and Attained a degree or certificate within 6 years of enrollment leads the Student Parent Policy All Dependent Independent Student Single Students Working Group to strategize policy students nonparents parents parents living ≤ poverty improvements that could improve
Source: IWPR analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students educational attainment among this Longitudinal Study, Second Follow-up (BPS:04/09).
6 www.iwpr.org IWPR 2015 Summer interns with former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis (center).
economically vulnerable group of Foundation. The special needs of inequality, and any retaliatory students. In August, presidential women in these training programs, action towards workers who candidate Hillary Clinton released such as assistance dealing with discuss their wages or those a higher education plan that sexual harassment and with of their colleagues. The U.S. included expanded funding for meeting the cost of child care, are Department of Labor also issued a campus child care, elevating being given new visibility by this rule that prohibits discrimination what had been a small part of the study. against workers who discuss pay higher education debate to the Findings on pay secrecy from applying to federal contractors and national spotlight. IWPR also IWPR’s 2011 survey helped to subcontractors. With President conducted research in 2015 into inspire proposed and new policies Obama’s recent proposal to the importance, effectiveness, and that are designed to achieve pay require large companies to report availability of support services for transparency and reduce the salaries by gender, race, and mothers in job training programs gender wage gap in several states. ethnicity to the Equal Employment as part of a project to promote In 2015, California, Connecticut, Opportunity Commission, it is job training and employment and Oregon each passed laws clear that government focus on success, funded by the Walmart to prohibit pay secrecy, pay achieving equal pay is increasing.
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IWPR Board and Staff
Heidi Hartmann, Ph.D., President Development Barbara Gault, Ph.D., Vice President and Ryan Koch, Director of Development Executive Director IWPR Board of Directors Communications Holly Fechner, Chair Research Jennifer Clark, Director of Communications Lorretta Johnson, Vice Chair Jeffrey Hayes, Ph.D., Program Director, Job Quality Mallory Mpare, Communications Manager, and Income Security Production and Website Susan Meade, Secretary Ariane Hegewisch, Program Director, Employment Sylphiel Yip, Treasurer
and Earnings William Baer Affiliated Researchers Cynthia Hess, Ph.D., Associate Director of Research Kimberlé Crenshaw, Columbia University Martha Darling Jessica Milli, Ph.D., Study Director Cynthia Deitch, Ph.D., Ellen Delany Chandra Childers, Ph.D., Postdoctoral The George Washington University (GWU) Research Fellow Cindy Estrada Cynthia Harrison, Ph.D., Lynn Gitlitz Julie Anderson, Research Associate The George Washington University (GWU) Federiga Bindi, Ph.D. Senior Fellow David A. Goslin Jane Henrici, Ph.D., Liz Noll, Senior Research Associate Ellen Karp Mala B. Thakur, Senior Fellow The George Washington University (GWU) Kai-yan Lee Lindsey Reichlin, Research Associate and Avis Jones-DeWeever, Ph.D., Program Manager Founder of the Exceptional Leadership William Rodgers, III Elyse Shaw, Research Associate Institute for Women Marci Sternheim Sunhwa Lee, Ph.D., Asian Development Bank Mary Sykes, Research and Program Coordinator Sheila Wellington Jennifer Lucas, Ph.D., St. Anselm College Jenny Xia, Data Analyst Marcia Worthing Asha DuMonthier, Mariam K. Chamberlain Fellow Gwendolyn Mink, Ph.D., Emma Williams-Barron, Mariam K. Chamberlain Senior Consulting Political Scientist Cathy Zoi Fellow Lois Shaw, Ph.D., Senior Consulting Economist Leslie Platt Zolov Mildred Warner, Ph.D., Cornell University Administration Janet Mullen, Director of Finance and Human Resources Gina Chirillo, Coordinator, Office of the President Erin Thorp, IT & Business Operations Specialist
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