Women’s Equality: Is the U.S. Failing Women?

Is the United States failing women when it comes to equality? The answer is a resounding YES.

According to a report by a United Nations Working Group, “In the US, women fall behind international standards in regards to their public and political representation, their economic and social rights and their health and safety protections.“

And they are right.

In 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women — or CEDAW — was adopted by the United Nations. Considered as an international bill of rights for women it promises to end discrimination, establish equality and fight against violence. The U.S. is also one of seven who have not ratified it. Other countries that don’t see women’s rights as a point of interest or necessity: Iran, Palau, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tonga.

“There is a myth that women already enjoy all these rights and protections under U.S. law. However, they are missing rights and protections such as universal paid maternity leave, accessible reproductive health care and equal opportunity in standing for political election.” This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the U.S. Constitution does not include an explicit gender equality guarantee. The Equal Rights Amendment, first introduced in 1923 to Congress, was meant to give women in America explicit protections. Unfortunately, it fell just three states short of ratification.

Ways the United States is failing women:

• 1 of 9 countries in the whole world that do not have guaranteed paid maternity leave
• The U.S. ranks 65th in wage equality for similar work
  • According the U.S. Census Bureau, women were paid 78 cents for every dollar earned on average by men
  • Black women earned 64 cents to every dollar earned on average by men
  • Latina women earned 56 cents to every dollar earned on average by men
• No equal political participation
  • Out of 100 U.S. Senate members 20 are women (currently)
  • Out of 435 U.S. Representatives, 84 are women (currently)
  • Out of 50 state Governors, 6 are women (currently)
  • Out of 44 presidencies, ZERO have been women
  • Out of 47 vice-presidencies, ZERO have been women

The UN Working Group, “strongly urges ratification of CEDAW and adoption in the Constitution of women’s rights to equality and non-discrimination as defined in the Convention.“

The UN Working Group also had this to say, “As regards to resistance to CEDAW, our visit is particularly timely at a moment when the political rhetoric of some of the candidates for the Presidency in the upcoming elections has included unprecedented hostile stereotyping of women; when there are increasingly restrictive legislative measures in some states and violent attacks to prevent women’s access to exercise of their reproductive rights; and when there is an increase in the rate of women living in poverty, a persistent wage gap and increasingly precarious employment.“

Click here to read the UN Working Group’s statement. The full report will be released June 2016.

Samantha Allen wrote a great piece about the statement for The Daily Beast. You can read that article by clicking here.

Liberty Schauf

Liberty grew up in Texas and Louisiana but calls New York City home. She loves listening to audiobooks while crocheting and riding the subway. One of her favorite pastimes is snuggling with her cat, Hazel, and binge watching TV shows. She is always planning and researching her next adventure somewhere in the world. Follow Liberty and Hazel on Instagram, //www.instagram.com/liberty_and_hazel_4_all/.