WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Black women stand apart from White women on a range of worries about workplace, education and health care issues. Major obstacles to their own progress over the next decade cited by greater proportions of Black women than White women include:
-- Major illness or medical expense (84 % vs. 68 %)
-- Unequal pay (81% vs. 55%)
-- Affordable and accessible childcare (72% vs. 57%)
-- Limited opportunities for job promotion and advancement (72% vs. 41%)
-- Lack of job training opportunities (66% vs. 37%)
-- Student loan indebtedness (62% vs. 33%)
"These findings reaffirm the need for a long-term national agenda that addresses the economic and financial concerns of women," said Lorraine Cole, PhD, YWCA USA's CEO. "With the country in a recession, rising unemployment, flat wages, and income inequality at levels not seen in years, we must make sure our national economic and financial public policies work for all women, especially Black women whose economic and financial well-being often lag far behind White women."
The findings are revealed in What Women Want: A National Survey of Priorities and Concern, a national telephone survey of 1,000 women ages 18-70 during the week preceding the 2008 presidential election. It was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of the YWCA USA, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
"Women's concerns about the future reflect the widespread economic uncertainty gripping the nation as the economy continues to shed jobs, housing prices continue to decline, and 401(k) retirement and savings accounts are shrinking," said Cole. "The YWCA looks forward to working with President Elect Obama and the 111th Congress to help women improve their economic security and financial well-being."
The YWCA USA is a national not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to social service, advocacy, education, leadership development and racial justice. Established in the United States in 1858, the YWCA is the oldest and largest national organization dedicated to the empowerment of women and girls and the elimination of racism. Through nearly 300 local YWCAs located across the nation in almost every state, and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the YWCA reaches 2.5 million women and girls, as well as their families. Globally, the YWCA USA is part of an international movement at work in 122 countries serving 25 million women and girls worldwide. For more information, visit our Web site, http://www.ywca.org or call 202-467-0801.
Website: http://www.ywca.org/
