Would it surprise you to learn that Rwanda has greater percentage of women among its elected officials than America does? It’s true – 45% to America’s 18%. “Women should be very alarmed at the low number of women in leadership roles in government, business and academia,” said Valerie Young, a public policy analyst for Mom-mentum, an organization working to promote social justice by “engaging, enriching, and empowering women.” The implication being that policies are being formed and enacted without enough women involved in the process, reflecting the needs and experiences of women.
On October 15, Young will speak on “Public Policies and Our Lives as Mothers and Women,” focusing on the importance of advocacy for issues facing women and the essential active involvement of women bringing to the fore the centrality and impact of issues like access to health care, a national family leave policy, and economic inequities facing women. The lecture is sponsored by the Mothers’ Center of Toledo and will be held at 7pm at Lourdes University on Wednesday, October 15 at Lourdes University, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania.
What does a public policy analyst do, exactly? Young describes her role as one in which she communicates across two major groups – politicians and women and mothers. She follows what legislators are doing in Washington D.C., including what bills are in process. She also reaches out to women across America to hear their stories, to learn what issues are impacting them. Then explains to each of these groups what the other is working on. The effect is that legislators can better understand what their constituents are dealing with, and how the policies they’re crafting will impact citizens. Women learn about what is coming down the pipeline in Washington so they can contact their elected officials and make their stories and opinions known.
Economic issues are a cornerstone of Young’s work. The lack of a national paid family leave policy causes a huge inequity in pay over a lifetime. When a woman leaves the workforce to raise kids, whether for years or months, this impacts her future earnings negatively. Upon her return to the workforce, she is often seen as having fewer skills and cannot recapture her earlier earning capacity. This results in a loss of potential wages in the tens, hundreds of thousands for most women over the course of their careers.
By contrast, when a man takes time off to raise a family, he is seen as being just as capable as when he left and is not likely to suffer a long-term loss in earning power. The cumulative impact on the national economy is significant, especially in the context of a country recovering from a recession. One can imagine the impact on the long-term economic stability of the country.
While the common perception can be that women’s lives now have more parity with men’s, there is still more work to be done, says Young. It has been 42 years since the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; more women are graduating college than men, yet women still earn on average 77% what men earn. The obvious biases can be seen in healthcare and employment policies, but even extend to mortgage lenders who may see women as earning lesser wages and having a greater risk of interrupted employment.
How can women have a greater impact on the political process? “Tell your legislators your story,” said Young. “Advocate hard in your own interest.” Reaching out to government officials translates the effects of legislation on average Americans. “Access to the internet has made it easy to get in touch with those who represent us,” said Young, “and it has made it easier for us to get in touch with women about pending congressional legislation.”
For more information about the event, please contact Kate Fineske of Mom-mentum and The Mothers’ Center of Greater Toledo through www.motherscenter.net. The Mother’s Center is a non-profit organization established in 1984 which meets regularly to share common experiences, make new friends and encourage member support.
