5 Actions You Can Take Today – and Everyday to Help Women
Did you know?
women live in poverty
Higher poverty rates for women
who head families if they are black (38.8%) or Latina (40.8%)
female-headed families with children are poor
Helping more women achieve economic independence is key to gender equality – and it’s good for all of us.
Learn more about the 5 Actions you can take everyday.
1. Mentor women in your community.
When women and men in leadership positions mentor women, it opens doors and creates opportunities for all women. Mentorship not only helps the person you’re mentoring grow, gain confidence, and advance more successfully, it also improves your skills as a leader.
Our nonprofit partner, Raising Hope, is committed to the power of women-to-women mentorship as a way to give women much needed tools to become financially stable and self-sufficient.
2. Bring men and boys into the conversation.
Gender equity is not only a women’s issue. It’s a human rights issue and we are all in this together. Men are critical allies in advocating for women’s access to employment, rights, and opportunities. For a durable change, we need to deconstruct and challenge the idea of gender roles by creating programs that bring young men and boys into the conversation.
One example of how to do this is the high-profile HeForShe “solidarity campaign,” launched by UN Women to engage men and boys as change agents towards gender equality.
3. Spark positive conversations around gender equity.
To create change we need to grow our allies. And to do this, we need to spark positive yet candid conversations about gender equity. When faced with those who feel “things are so much better for women now” and “there are plenty of women in my workplace,” be prepared to share relevant data, or personal stories, that bring attention to gender imbalances. Nearly 2.5 million women, mostly women of color, have left the workforce during COVID-19 bringing us back to 1980’s levels of women’s employment. This dramatic drop has long-term implications for the well-being of women, their families, and the US economic recovery.
4. Support and celebrate other women’s success.
When we come together and raise each other up, we all rise. Identify and find ways to support and celebrate women leaders in your community, workplace, and personal lives.
One way to celebrate women doing extraordinary work to elevate women who are economically marginalized is to nominate someone you know – or more – for our Women Crush Wednesday campaign! Those selected will be featured in Working for Women’s weekly Women Crush Wednesday (#WCW) posts on our social channels and other communications throughout the year.
5. Invest in women.
Spend and invest your money in women-owned businesses and businesses that support equality. To find companies that have demonstrated their commitment to equality – and which haven’t, check with Gender Fair.
Your business can invest in women by joining us at Working for Women! We help you #GiveBackBetter by creating purposeful partnerships with nonprofit organizations working to help underserved women achieve economic independence. Contact us to find out more.
