YWCA Survey Shows Greater Economic Concerns Among Black Women Than White Women

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/

Jobless or not here I come...

Jobless rates are at its highest 7.2% as of December! This is the headline in most of the papers. I was reading an article on cnn.com “Take this job or shove it” www.cnnmoney.com. In these tough economic times and high unemployment rates, there are 3 or more job seekers for every opening. People are taking wherever jobs they can get. Personally I thought about this a lot, with the economy in the dumps almost everyone has been affected. As other companies, my agency is no strange to these tough times. I am so lucky I can say I have a job, at least for now. But if things don’t get better soon the layoffs are going to start so I decided to update my resume and started looking for jobs like everyone else.

The idea to start all over again scares me, but the idea to start all the way from the bottom again, it scares me more, but I must say if the situation arises, I, just like many people out there would take any job that I can find.

The rainbow always comes up after a storm, even if this one takes some time!
What is your take on this? What did you have to sacrifice? Did you find a job in your same field?

Why do women self-abort when abortions are legal?

For me, having had an illegal surgical abortion (no anesthesia, not even Tylenol), this article from The Times (For Privacy's Sake, Taking Risks to End Pregnancy)was a difficult, especially poignant, read. I'm sure it will resonate with many other women, especially Latinas, who may find themselves desperate, burdened by a pregnancy that is very wrong for them, yet ashamed to be at odds with their families and culture. The one happy note struck, though, is of the dominicanas who find support in sisterhood that helps get them through the physical and emotional trauma of self-abortion.

Job Hunting? A career change may be in order

With unemployment figures skyrocketing and businesses biting the dust, the picture painted is of a long-term crisis and much hardship if not anxiety for many of us. The promise of at least a partial recovery with the incoming administration notwithstanding, there are even today bright patches in the darkened sky.

A closely watched media reveals that optimism, as reports emerge on careers and industries where jobs are largely available or even go begging. Securing them will likely require a change of career, maybe even some training, but there is no question that, yes indeed, there are growth industries today.

We've posted on our career page a helpful article published last week in the Wall Street Journal. And I recommend that you find WNYC's Brian Lehrer show of the 23rd, Dec., or the podcast (Where the Jobs Are).

One of Brian's guests, Dennis Demp, author of Health Care Job Explosion, reports informatively and optimistically on those specific industries that can't help but grow. Health care, insurance and working for the feds (especially in the areas of IT, public health, the census) are examples that he expands on. Demp also gives us the useful website: Federaljobs.net.

Check it out. Happy hunting! And may 2009 be brighter for us all.

You go, girls!

In the midst of financial scandal and meltdown, it has been two women regulators--are they but voices in the wilderness?--pressing to do the right thing. Dean Baker of TruthOut asks the thorny question, "...Are Women Regulators Different?" Now, wouldn't we like to think so!

For Women, It's Not Easy Getting Recognized at the Office

Here's a good piece from Alter Net's Tan Ganeva supporting Catalyst's findings (see below), exploring further the nagging lag in pay and advancement women face in the business world as well as the greater tendency for women's contributions on the job to go unrecognized.

Women Gained Little Ground Advancing to Business Leadership Positions

PRESS RELEASE

Blogger's note: is anyone surprised?

Women’s overall representation in senior leadership roles continues to stagnate at a time when shareholders and decision-makers demand innovative thinking to address the current business crisis

New York (December 10, 2008) – Women’s advancement in corporate leadership continues to stagnate, with virtually no growth seen in women’s share of top positions, according to the 2008 Catalyst Census of Women Board Directors of the Fortune 500 and the 2008 Catalyst Census of Corporate Officers and Top Earners of the Fortune 500. “Exceptional circumstances require exceptional leaders. Now more than ever, as companies examine how best to weather an economy in crisis, we need talented business leaders, and many of these leaders, yet untapped, are women,” said Ilene H. Lang, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst.

The reports show little change in the number of women in the upper echelons of major corporations. Specifically among women’s share of board director positions in the F500:

· Women held 15.1 percent of board director positions, compared to 14.8 percent in 2007.
· Women of color held 3.2 percent of all board director positions.
· Little change occurred in the number of companies having zero, one, two, or three or more women directors, and the slight increase in companies with three or more women was offset by the slight increase in companies with zero women.
· The number of women audit and compensation committee chairs continued to lag behind the overall representation of women board directors, even as women’s share of nominating/governance committee chairs continued to keep pace with their share of all directorships.

Overall representation of women corporate officers and top earners in the F500 continued to stagnate as well:

· Women held 15.7 percent of corporate officer positions, compared to 15.4 percent in 2007.
· Women held 6.2 percent of top earner positions, compared to 6.7 percent in 2007.
· Little change occurred in the number of companies having zero, one, two, or three or more women corporate officers.

Catalyst continues its commitment to studying women of color in business, and this year’s Catalyst Census contains additional data on women of color board directors. The findings include:

· Black women comprised 63.4 percent, Latinas 24.4 percent, and Asian women 11.6 percent of all women of color board director positions.
· More than one woman of color serving on a board was rare, with only 4.0 percent of companies having two women of color directors serving together.

“No change in a year of change is unacceptable - for business, for investors, for policy makers and for the public which looks to business leadership for innovative solutions and accountability,” said Ms. Lang. “Smart organizations will seize this opportunity to create credible, 21st century leadership that looks like the future, and bring women, including women of color, front and center into their leadership – on boards and in senior management.”

Ernst & Young is the sponsor of the 2008 Catalyst Census of Women Board Directors of the Fortune 500 and the 2008 Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners of the Fortune 500. Appendices to the reports are available at www.catalyst.org. For media inquiries please contact Serena Fong, at 646-388-7757, sfong@catalyst.org, or Jeff Barth at 646-388-7725, jbarth@catalyst.org.