Women Workers

Women workers are women engaged in paid labor whose contributions are vital but routinely discounted because of gendered inequities in pay, safety and workplace power.

A Workplace Void of Violence and Harassment: Creating Safer Working Environments with ILO’s Convention 190

PUBLISHED 1/4/2022 by
A Workplace Void of Violence and Harassment: Creating Safer Working Environments with ILO's Convention 190

The International Labour Organization’s Convention 190—a legally binding instrument adopted in 2019—has a bold message: Gender-based discrimination will no longer be tolerated in the “world of work.”

This legislation attempts to address gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work at the international level. Convention 190 is unique from past attempts as it provides a singular concept of violence and harassment and requires a inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach to prevent and address these issues.

Dr. Mom: Female Physicians Need Support in Their Roles

PUBLISHED 1/4/2022 by

It’s clear the medical profession needs women. Patient mortality and hospital readmission rates decrease when women physicians care for them, compared to their male counterparts.

But women in medicine need support, especially as they embark on parenting. Among physician parents, women are more likely to be responsible for household tasks and schooling or childcare compared to men during the pandemic. The women also experienced greater depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Feminist Wishes for 2022: “We Were Never Meant To Do This Work Alone”

PUBLISHED 12/30/2021 by and
Feminist Wishes for 2022: “We Were Never Meant To Do This Work Alone”

As 2021 comes to a close, Ms. asked some of our favorite feminists—from abortion activists and providers to climate crisis specialists and environmentalists—what they see as top priorities and what changes they’re hoping for in 2022.

“Ms. readers: We are the answer—the future we’ve been waiting for! And that begins right now, on the eve of 2022.”

Ten Steps Closer to Parity: Wins for Women in 2021

PUBLISHED 12/22/2021 by
Ten Steps Closer to Parity: Wins for Women in 2021

While the United States has a long way to go to achieve intersectional, gender-balanced governance, progress was still made in 2021. From historic appointments to record-breaking elections, women reached new milestones at every level of government this year.

So as difficult as it may be to find cause to celebrate in challenging times, here are 10 reasons to have hope for a more gender-inclusive future. 

Respectability Politics (and Joe Manchin) Are Killing Us

PUBLISHED 12/21/2021 by , and
Respectability Politics (and Joe Manchin) Are Killing Us

In a confounding move, Sen. Joe Manchin decided to derail the Build Back Better bill in a Fox News appearance Sunday night. It’s not difficult to prove how wrong Manchin and the 50 GOP senators opposed to Build Back Better are. But how do we enact progress when 51 people can stand in the way of what the majority of us want? 

Build Back Better Is in Peril. Low-income Families Can’t Afford To Lose It

PUBLISHED 12/20/2021 by

As families hope Democratic leadership will find a different path to pass Build Back Better policies like childcare or paid leave, another revolutionary policy is just beginning to enter mainstream awareness: guaranteed income.

Guaranteed income involves regular payments directed to specific marginalized groups, as a way to address economic inequities caused by systemic racism and sexism. Economic justice organizations like the Magnolia Mother’s Trust argue that a federal guaranteed income program would not just help low-income families pay their bills, but also reduce financial stress and set their families up for long-term success. 

Farmers Leading Protests in India—and the Young Feminists Camping With Them—Just Scored a Major Win. Will It Last?

PUBLISHED 12/17/2021 by
Farmers Leading Protests in India—and the Young Feminists Camping With Them—Just Scored a Major Win. Will It Last?

As the world advocates for collective action toward the empowerment for all (including universal healthcare and tuition-free education), farmers and agrarian laborers from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in India have finally pushed back with a massive movement. And after a year of unprecedented protests, an equally unprecedented victory has been won. To some readers, just to exist without immediate corporate control over agriculture may seem small—but these farmers are poised to change the whole game.

And undoubtedly, while the protest was majority male, the centrality of women’s contribution has been unquestionable.