GIVING VOICE TO WOMEN AND GIRLS
The COVID-19 pandemic brings into sharp focus how the impacts of crises disproportionately affect women and particularly women of color. Response and recovery efforts must ensure women are at the table and that they are considered adequately in the policy solutions. This is critical in order to ensure our communities are resilient in the aftermath of this pandemic. We are giving voice to initiatives that advocate for the needs of all women to decision makers and policymakers during this time.
Read about these advocacy moments:
- Statement for the Record: United States Senate Committee on Finance Hearing on Paid Leave Proposals in the COVID Era
- Groundwork Ohio and Early Childhood Partners Make Urgent Child Care Request to Governor DeWine
- Center Women’s Needs in COVID Child Care Response
- Child Care Coalition with Nearly 500 Organizations Requests At Least $50 Billion for Child Care
- Letter to U.S. Department of Labor on Families First Coronavirus Response Act Paid/Sick Leave Provisions
- Fight Against COVID-19 Racism
- Open Letter to Philanthropy: The Cure to Racism is Within Our Hands
- Continued advocacy as part of the Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap national initiative
Applying an intersectional lens to policy
To advocate simply means to give voice. The Women’s Fund advocates for women and girls through our priority areas of economic empowerment and leadership for women and girls. We raise awareness of priority issues in the central Ohio community and strengthen our advocacy efforts by hosting events that mobilize the collective power of women and men to focus on social change.
We aim to strategically affect public policy issues, including:
Child Care & The Benefits Cliff
Research shows that child care costs are the single largest expense for women and families in central Ohio. Accessibility and affordability of child care is the best opportunity to influence the cliff effect – when a minimal increase in hourly wages results in the complete termination of a benefit and a dramatic net loss of resources.
Paid Leave
Current policies do not adequately support women striving to meet the obligations of work and family. Extending access to paid family leave strengthens women and families, reduces gender and economic disparities, and has a positive impact on local economies.
Pay Equity
We have increased community awareness around the wage gap and are committed to continue the conversation with a focus on pay equity or comparing work of equal value and looking at the impact of gender norms. Closing the wage gap between women and men and establishing pay equity is critical to ensuring women maximize their economic potential.
Access to Contraception & Medically-Accurate Sex Education
Enabling women to control when to have children allows them to shape their financial, educational, and professional futures. Access to contraception and comprehensive, medically-accurate sex education have been significant factors in the reduction in teen pregnancy and unintended pregnancies over the last decade.
Leadership for Women and Girls
We are committed to amplifying the voices of women and girls through the power of philanthropy, increasing the number of women running for elected office, equipping them with advocacy training, and supporting girls’ leadership. When more women are in positions of leadership, including elected office, we see an advancement in gender equality through policies that positively impact women.
STAY INFORMED AND TAKE A STAND ON LEGISLATURE
Learn how to stay in the loop, contact your legislator, and submit testimony on legislation so you can move off the sidelines and onto the front lines of social change. Download the script.
LEARN HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW IN OHIO
It all starts with an idea. This easy-to-follow infographic illustrates how a bill in Ohio makes its way through the Senate and the House of Representatives. Download the infographic.
STATE GOVERNMENT 101
Lame duck? Gerrymandering? Learn the basics of government vocab and join the movement in your community. Download the list.