Does Michigan Public Policy Support Women’s Economic Security?

Michigan Partners ProjectCenter for the Education of Women

June 25, 2014

About The Speaker:

Dr. Ebony Reddock is the coordinator of the Michigan Partners Project at the Center for the Education of Women, U-M Ann Arbor and an advocate for women’s health and empowerment.

Overview

Who Are Michigan’s Women?

What Is The State of Public Policy?

Does Policy Support Women’s Economic Security?

What Can We Do?

Who Are Michigan’s Women?

Martial Status

• Martial Status• 47.6%

married• 28.8%

never married

• 1.6% separated

• 9.6% widowed

• 12.3% divorced

Racial/Ethnic

Categories• White:

79.7%• Black:

15.5%• American

Indian: 1.4%

• Asian: 3%• Native

Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%

• Hispanic or Latino: 4.6%

SES

• Employment• 58% in

labor force

• 52% employed

• Education• 90%

completed HS

• 26% completed BA or higher

Households

• 31.5 % of households are headed by women• 66% of

them have children under 18

Poverty Status

• 33.7% of female headed households are in poverty.• 44%

have children under 18• 53.7%

have children under 5

50% of Michigan’s population

What are policies that affect the everyday

lives of Michigan women?

Health Security Family Security

Financial Security

Physical Security

Women’s Economic Security

Health Security

• Goal: Women have access to quality health care and ability to care for themselves and/or family members in case of illness.

Related Policies

Affordable Care Act & Healthy Michigan (Medicaid Expansion)

Paid Sick Leave Policies

Family Security

• Goal: Women have access to quality and affordable care for families and other dependents, as well as other resources, such as education and training, that will support them and their families in becoming self-sufficient.

Related Policies

DHS Work Requirements

Child Care

Financial Security

• Goal: Women have access to employment options that pay a fair wage.

Related Policies

Minimum Wage

Pay Equity

Physical Security

• Goal: Women are safe from physical, mental, and emotional harm in their homes, communities and workplaces.

Related Policies

VAWA

Workplace Bullying

Does Michigan Public Policy Support Women’s Economic

Security?

Initiative: Michigan Partners Project

• The Michigan Partners Project (MPP) is a collaboration of community and academic partners addressing Michigan women's economic insecurity by identifying and promoting data-driven policy recommendations that support women advancing out of poverty.

How The MPP Works

Gendered Lens

on Poverty

Workgroups & Networks

Data Disseminati

on

Capacity- Building

MPP Priority Issues

Childcare

Workplace Policies

Access to Education & Training

Next Meetings

• July:– Flint: July 29– Detroit: July 31

• September– Policy Advocacy Training

• November– November 18– November 20

www.cew.umich.edu/michigan-partners

michiganpartnersproject@umich.edu

Thank You!