For more than 12 years you’ve depended on the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute to cast a broad vision of a more prosperous Georgia, shine a light on the path to achieving that vision and show ways to help make the vision reality. On Aug 26, 2016, we will rise to that challenge once again and this time the spotlight is on Georgia women. Join us for a half day in Midtown Atlanta as we present Women Working Ahead: An Economic Opportunity Agenda for Georgia Women.
Our focus is on Georgia’s women because the key to improving everyone’s well-being is to bolster women’s economic security. Women are a majority of the population. In more than half of Georgia households with children women bring in at least 40 percent of family earnings. At the same time, women working full-time in Georgia earn an average of 70 cents for every dollar white men earn.
Both Georgia families and the state’s economy have much to gain if this gender earnings gap is closed. Georgia could add a staggering $14.4 billion to its economy if all working women in the state earned the same amount of money as men living in similar population areas, of the same age, education level and working the same number of hours. This $14.4 billion potential is equal to more than three-fifths of the state budget.
Even more money can accrue to Georgia’s economy if women who are not working now get more support, including child care and health care. That kind of help provides a bridge to help women rejoin the workforce or work more hours.
Featured speakers at this month’s policy forum are former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Teresa Younger, president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation. Also on hand will be representatives of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and leaders from Atlanta’s Gas South, Families First and the Atlanta Regional Office of the US Department of Labor Women’s Bureau. We plan to discuss the causes of the gender earnings gap, offer viable policy solutions to close it, and outline ways we can work together to help bring them to fruition. The full agenda is available on the event page.
We’ve chosen to host this on Women’s Equality Day as an ideal backdrop for this timely conversation. We hope you can join us. Register now to guarantee a seat.
