April 26, 2008

• WOMEN’S RIGHTS

  AT A GLANCE

  Pay Equity

  Barack Obama will better enforce the Equal Pay Act, fight job discrimination, and improve child care

  options and family medical leave to give women equal footing in the workplace.

  Reproductive Choice

  Obama has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving a women’s right to

  choose under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. Obama also supports expanded access to contraception,

  health information and preventive services to reduce unintended pregnancies.

  Health Care

  Obama will tackle diseases and illnesses that disproportionately affect women.

  Domestic Violence

  Obama introduced legislation to combat domestic violence and cosponsored and helped reauthorize the

  Violence Against Women Act.

  THE PROBLEM

  Discrimination at the Job

  For every $1.00 earned by a man, the average woman receives only 77 cents. A recent study estimates it will take another 47 years for women to close the wage gap with men at Fortune 500 corporate offices.

  Need for Paid Leave

  The 78 percent of employees covered by the Family Medical Leave Act who have needed leave but have not taken it report that it is because they could not afford to take unpaid leave. Furthermore, low-income families are less likely to have the resources or savings to compensate for time off.

  Violence Against Women Continues

  One-in-four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Family violence accounted for 11 percent of all violence between 1998 and 2002.

  Women’s Health

  Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, accounting for nearly 39 percent of all female deaths. Studies show that after a first heart attack, women are less likely than men to receive followup care, and are more likely to have a second heart attack. Women are also more likely than men to report having arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and depression. Health care disparities among minority and poor women are especially pervasive.

  BARACK OBAMA’S PLAN

  Fight for Pay Equity

  Obama believes the government needs to take steps to better enforce the Equal Pay Act, fight job discrimination, and improve child care options and family medical leave to give women equal footing in the workplace.

  Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities

  Obama will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve one million more children.

  Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

  Obama will reform the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by making it refundable and allowing low-income families to receive up to a 50 percent credit for their child care expenses. Coupled with Obama’s “Making Work Pay” tax credit, this proposal will help put more money directly in the pockets of hardworking low and middle-income parents.

  Paid Sick Days

  Obama will require that employers provide seven paid sick days per year to their employees.

  Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave

  Obama will initiate a strategy to encourage all 50 states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama will provide a $1.5 billion fund to help states jump-start paid-leave programs consistent with their local needs.

  Expand Flexible Work Arrangements

  Obama will create a program to inform businesses about the benefits of flexible work schedules; help businesses create flexible work opportunities; and increase federal incentives for telecommuting. Obama will also make the federal government a model employer in terms of adopting flexible work schedules.

  Protecting a Women’s Right to Choose

  Obama will make safeguarding women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn that decision.

  Reducing Unintended Pregnancy

  Obama will work to reduce unintended pregnancy by guaranteeing equity in contraceptive coverage, providing sex education, and offering rape victims accurate information about emergency contraception.

  Ending Health Care Disparities

  Obama will invest in research to examine gender and health disparities. Obama will also establish community outreach programs in underserved areas to help make sure women have health care and maintain healthy lifestyles.

  Ending Violence Against Women

  Obama will appoint a special advisor who will report to him regularly on issues related to violence against women. Obama will also pass legislation that provides job security to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

  OBAMA RECORD

  Record of Advocacy

  Barack Obama has a long record of standing up for women. In Illinois, he passed the Equal Pay Act to give 330,000 more women protection from pay discrimination and passed another law that ensured victims of domestic violence could seek treatment without losing their jobs. In the U.S. Senate, he introduced and cosponsored legislation to reduce unintended teen pregnancy, strengthen families by supporting fathers who are doing the right thing and cracking down on those who are not, guarantee workers paid sick leave, and ensure that women are not receiving less pay than men for comparable work. And throughout his career, in both the Illinois Senate and the U.S. Senate, Obama has stood up for a women’s right to choose, consistently earning 100 percent ratings from pro-choice groups.

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