How to build an economy that works for women
Bad as it has been, the pandemic revealed an underlying truth about the American economy: Women — 47 percent of our workforce — are asked to build careers without the basic scaffolding at home, on the job, and in the public sphere that allows them to fully succeed.
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The United States is alone among advanced economies in its lack of recognition for the realities of women’s lives. We have the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries, especially for Black women. These terrible outcomes are rooted in structural racism and sexism — but a contributing factor is our failure to ensure paid maternity leave. We are the only nation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that does not guarantee paid time off for women who have just given birth. The United…
