We hosted a community forum last week on the impact of the recession and budget cuts on women in Washington state.  Over 100 people attended for an evening of great conversation on what’s happening to women in our state and what we can do about it.

While few of us have escaped the impact of the Great Recession and slashing of state budgets, women have been disproportionally hurt by cuts to our public services.  Over 90 percent of budget cuts have been made to education, health care, and social services – areas that disproportionally employ and serve women.  The cuts have had a profound impact on women’s employment recovery, as well as on the investments we make to keep women and children economically secure, healthy, and safe. 

The bottom line: investing in the well-being of women brings returns in the form of a strengthened economy, more economically secure families, healthy and happy children, and stronger communities. 

To learn more about how women are faring in our state, read our brief: Women, Work, & Washington’s Economy: How State Budget Cuts are Hurting All Three.  Check out our event page for more details on the forum.