Columbia End-of-Session Celebration
by WREN Staff on Jun 6, 2017
Economic Opportunity
Women serve as the primary or co-breadwinner in two-thirds of South Carolina’s families, so women are key to our state’s economic health. Yet women are more likely to live in poverty; are not paid wages equal to men; and many women face discrimination in the workplace. Fewer opportunities and lower pay undermine women’s lifetime income, which not only affects her own life, but also her children and family members.
Economically secure women and moms are the key to healthy and successful families. Educating ourselves and our policymakers on all of these facts is essential, and WREN is working to educate and advocate for better economic opportunities for women across the state.
Tremendous Potential
There is a significant, projected workforce shortage in South Carolina over the next decade. By addressing this workforce need, women have the opportunity to create a net gain in economic activity for our state and simultaneously make strides in reducing the gender wage gap.
Why It Matters In SC?
- On average, women in South Carolina are paid 80 cents to every dollar paid to men, a gap that becomes more pronounced as you break the data down by race.
- African American women make 58 cents to every dollar made by white men. Latina women make 52 cents to every dollar made by white men.
- 22 percent of all families with children under 18 are living below the poverty line.
- 36.2 percent of families with female head of household are living below the poverty level.
- SC is ranked 43 in the nation for education, making it tougher for all our students to be competitive in the workplace.
WREN advocates for closing the wage gap. We support policy strategies that will make it easier for women to earn a living, advance in their careers, and support their families.