Fact Sheets

National Snapshot: Poverty Among Women & Families, 2012

September 18, 2013

The poverty rates for women, like poverty rates overall, remained at historically high levels in 2012, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in September 2013. Women’ poverty rates were once again substantially above the poverty rates for men.

The Wage Gap is Stagnant in the Last Decade

September 18, 2013

New data from 2012 show that the typical woman still earns only 77 cents for each dollar the typical man earns.  Learn more about the numbers in this fact sheet.

2013 State Level Abortion Restrictions at Mid-Year: An Extreme Overreach into Women’s Reproductive Health Care

September 17, 2013

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that affirmed a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion. Yet, anti-abortion state politicians continue to relentlessly attack this right, in the hopes of overturning Roe and preventing women from obtaining abortions. In the first 6 months of 2013, state lawmakers enacted 43 restrictions on abortion, including outright bans.   This is the second highest number of enacted restrictions at the mid-year mark, and equal to the total number of restrictions enacted in 2012.  These state restrictions are a dangerous overreach into women’s personal medical decisions.

ESEA Data Should Be Cross-Tabulated by Race/Ethnicity and Gender

September 17, 2013

The reauthorization of ESEA is an opportunity to address a gap in the current accountability and data reporting system. This fact sheet explains the importance of included data that is cross-tabulated by race/ethnicity and gender.

ESEA Reauthorization Must Address Access to Education for Pregnant and Parenting Students

September 17, 2013

Students are dropping out of high school at alarmingly high rates, particularly students of color, with severe short- and long-term economic and health consequences for them, their families, their communities, and our nation. And the statistics on teen pregnancy in the U.S. are alarming. Overall, nearly 3 in 10 girls become pregnant at least once before age 20, and for girls of color the rates are higher: 52% of Latinas and 50% of African American girls get pregnant at least once by age 20.  This fact sheet describes why the ESEA reauthorization should take into account the needs and experiences of pregnant and parenting students, and how it can best do so.

Pregnant and Parenting Student Provisions of the Strengthening America's Schools Act of 2013

September 17, 2013

This fact sheet explains the provisions in the Strengthening America's Schools Act of 2013 that aim to support pregnant and parenting students.

FAQs about the Census Bureau Official Health Insurance Rate

September 12, 2013

Each year, the Census Bureau releases data on health insurance coverage in the United States, and the National Women’s Law Center analyzes these data to provide a picture of how women and their families are faring. The following frequently asked questions take a closer look at what the Census Bureau numbers tell us—and don’t tell us—about health insurance.

The Fall 2013 Fiscal Fights: A Political Drama with Real Consequences for Women and Families

September 12, 2013

This fact sheet details the important budget decisions Congress will face this fall.

Congress Must Lift the Ban for Abortion Services at Military Facilities

September 05, 2013

Members of the military and their dependents are currently prohibited from receiving abortion services at military hospitals except in cases where a woman’s life is endangered or the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.  Senator Kristin Gillibrand and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter have introduced legislation, the Military Access to Reproductive Care and Health (MARCH) for Military Women Act, to repeal this unfair and unsafe law.   This bill would ensure women have access to abortion care – paid for with their own funds – no matter where they are stationed.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Amended Americans with Disabilities Act: Working Together to Protect Pregnant Workers

August 21, 2013

There’s good news for those pregnant workers who need temporary job modifications to continue working without risk to themselves or their pregnancies. The Americans with Disabilities Act was amended in 2008 to expand protections for temporarily disabled workers. These amendments, coupled with the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, mean that employers must provide reasonable accommodations for many pregnant workers who need them.  This fact sheet explains how the PDA and ADAAA can provide protections for pregnant workers.