THE RECENT SLOWDOWN

IN

WOMEN AND GIRLS OF COLOR:

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES AND

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY

 

The Council of Economic Advisers

November 2014

The White House Council on Women and Girls
1

Table of Contents

Executive Summary............................................................................................................................2

By the Numbers: Obama Administration Policy Impacts on Women and Girls of Color.........................4

Policies, Programs, and Initiatives ......................................................................................................8

1. Education.......................................................................................................................................8

a. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)..........................................................................11

2. Economic Security ........................................................................................................................15

a. Consumer Protection .........................................................................................................................16

b. Entrepreneurship ...............................................................................................................................16

c. Equal Pay ............................................................................................................................................17

d. Housing ..............................................................................................................................................19

e. Minimum Wage, Low-Income Workers, and Poverty-Prevention Efforts.........................................21

f. Non-Traditional Occupations..............................................................................................................23

g. Retirement .........................................................................................................................................25

h. Workplace Discrimination..................................................................................................................25

3. Health..........................................................................................................................................27

a. Health Disparities...............................................................................................................................27

b. HIV/AIDS.............................................................................................................................................29

c. Maternal and Child Health .................................................................................................................30

d. Nutrition and Physical Activity...........................................................................................................32

e. Research.............................................................................................................................................33

f. Sexual and Reproductive Health.........................................................................................................34

g. Teen Pregnancy..................................................................................................................................35

h. Workplace Safety ...............................................................................................................................36

4. Violence Against Women..............................................................................................................37

a. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault...............................................................................................37

b. Human Trafficking..............................................................................................................................43

5. Criminal and Juvenile Justice ........................................................................................................46
2

Executive Summary

In recent years, on indicators ranging from educational attainment to economic security to health 

and well-being, women and girls of color have made tremendous progress. The number of 

businesses owned by women of color has skyrocketed, and women of color have ascended to the 

upper ranks of workplaces across industries. Teen pregnancy rates for girls of color have 

plummeted, and high school and college graduation rates have risen.

Yet, these achievements may obscure the very real challenges and disparities that persist for 

women and girls of color. Girls of color still lag behind in their performance on standardized 

tests, and they are more likely to be suspended from school. Women and girls of color still face 

higher rates of poverty and receive lower wages for their work than their white peers, and they 

are more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system. Women of color still have 

some of the highest rates of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other serious conditions, and 

they experience high rates of domestic violence. And when women are the primary or sole 

breadwinners for nearly half of all households of color, these disparities do not just affect them, 

but their families and communities as well.

Further, as President Obama recently noted, women of color “struggle every day with biases that 

perpetuate oppressive standards for how they’re supposed to look and how they’re supposed to 

act. Too often, they’re either left under the hard light of scrutiny, or cloaked in a kind of 

invisibility.” When addressing the challenges women and girls of color face – challenges that 

often lie at the intersection of race and gender – we often fail to fully acknowledge, and account 

for, this complexity.

President Obama created the White House Council on Women and Girls in the first months of his 

presidency precisely for the purpose of addressing issues like these. The Council’s mandate is to 

ensure that every agency, department and office in the federal government takes into account 

the needs and aspirations of women and girls in every aspect of their work. Since it was 

established, the Council has worked on a number of issues and policies that impact women and 

girls of color across the country. Highlights of these initiatives – as well as numerous others 

across the federal government – are detailed in this report. 

As part of its efforts to address barriers and disparities that still exist for so many Americans and 

so many women and girls of color in particular, the Council is convening a Working Group on 

Challenges and Opportunities for Women and Girls of Color. This Working Group will bring 

together policy staff from the White House and across federal agencies – as well as experts, 

leaders and advocates from outside the government – to focus on issues including education, 

economic security, health, criminal and juvenile justice, violence, and research and data 

collection. 
3

In detailing both the progress we have made and the challenges that still remain, this Report 

should serve both as a reminder of what is possible and as a call to action to do so much more.

Valerie Jarrett

Chair 

White House Council on Women and Girls

Christina Tchen

Executive Director

White House Council on Women and Girls
4

By the Numbers

Obama Administration Policy Impacts on Women and Girls of Color

Education

 Since 2009, both fourth and eighth grade math scores on the National Assessment of 

Educational Progress, the largest nationwide assessment, have improved for all girls of 

color. 

 Since 2009, the high school dropout rate has fallen by 16 percent for Black girls and 30 

percent for Hispanic girls. 

 Women of color make up 23 percent of all college students, yet they receive 34 percent 

of all Pell Grants, and in 2012, 3.2 million women of color received Pell Grants. President 

Obama has raised the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,730 for the 2014-15 award year 

– a nearly $1,000 increase since 2008. 

 From 2009 to 2012, the graduation rate at four-year colleges and universities increased

by 0.9 percentage points for Black women, 3.1 percentage points for Hispanic women, 

2.7 percentage points for American Indian/Alaska Native women, and 2.1 percentage 

points for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women. 
5

Economic Security

 The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) strengthen work 

incentives and help parents afford the costs of raising a family, providing families with an 

average tax cut of more than $1,000 a year.

 The EITC and CTC raise the incomes of about 2.9 million Black women and girls, 

5.4 million Hispanic women and girls, 200,000 AAPI women and girls, and 800,000 

American Indian/Alaska Native women and girls. 

 About 19 percent of non-Hispanic Black women, 27 percent of Hispanic women, 

and 12 percent of AAPI and American Indian/Alaska Native women benefit from 

expansions of the EITC and CTC compared with about 11 percent of all workers. 

 Nearly two million people who work as home health aides, personal care aides, and 

certified nursing assistants who provide home and personal care services – nearly 50 

percent of whom are women of color – now have minimum wage and overtime 

protections to ensure they are paid fairly for their work.

 Since 2010, poverty rates have fallen 0.2 percentage points for Black women and girls, 2.9 

percentage points for Hispanic women and girls, and 2.2 percentage points for AAPI 

women and girls; rates have increased 3.8 percentage points for American Indian/Alaska 

Native women.
6

 Since 2009, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved loans for small 

businesses owners across the country, including 14,117 loans to women of color 

supporting $5.8 billion in lending. From fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2014, through its 

7(a) program, SBA increased the number of loans made to women overall by 14 percent, 

and to Black women by 29 percent, Hispanic women by 15 percent, American 

Indian/Alaska Native women by 34 percent, and AAPI women by 18 percent. 

 While unemployment rates for women of color are still generally higher than for White 

women, over the past three years, 12-month average unemployment rates have fallen by 

3.2 percentage points for Black women, 3.6 percentage points for Hispanic women, and 

2.8 percentage points for AAPI women. 
7

Health

 An estimated 12.5 million women of color – 5.1 million Black women, 4.9 million Hispanic 

women, and 2.5 million Asian American women – with private health insurance now have 

guaranteed access to women’s preventive services including well-woman visits, FDAapproved contraception, breastfeeding support, mammograms, domestic violence 

counseling, screenings for cervical cancer, prenatal care, and other services without costsharing. 

 658,000 women of color between the ages of 19 and 25 who would have been uninsured 

now have coverage under their parents’ employer-sponsored or individually purchased 

health plans. 

 About 10.4 million women of color – 3.9 million Black women, 4.4 million Hispanic 

women, and 2.1 million Asian American women – no longer have lifetime limits on their 

health insurance plans.

 4.8 million women of color on Medicare have benefitted from the Affordable Care Act 

(ACA) provision that closes the “donut hole” prescription drug coverage gap.
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Policies, Programs, and Initiatives

1. Education

In today’s global economy, a high-quality education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity –

it is a prerequisite for success – and while women and girls of color have made significant progress 

in educational attainment, opportunity gaps persist between them and their white peers. 

While math and reading scores on the National Assessment of Education Progress, often called 

the “Nation’s Report Card,” have improved for girls overall since 2000, girls of color remain 

behind.1 When it comes to graduation rates, since 2000, the high school dropout rate has fallen 

by half for Hispanic girls and by more than one-third for Black girls.2 But while girls of color are 

more likely to graduate from high school than boys of color, Black girls are 14.6 percentage points 

less likely, Hispanic girls are 12.8 percentage points less likely, and American Indian/Alaska Native 

girls are 16 percentage points less likely to graduate than White girls.3 And while women of color 

are more likely to graduate from college than men of color, Black women are 21.3 percentage 

points less likely, Hispanic women are 10 percentage points less likely, Pacific Islander women are 

14.8 percentage points less likely, and American Indian/Alaska Native women are 22.5

percentage points less likely to graduate from college than White women.4 

Girls of color also face unique challenges regarding school discipline. Black girls enrolled in public 

schools are six times more likely (12 percent), American Indian/Alaska Native girls are three and 

a half times more likely (7 percent), and Hispanic girls are twice as likely (4 percent) to be 

suspended from school than their White peers (2 percent).5 Additionally, nearly one in five girls 

of color with disabilities receives an out-of-school suspension compared with just 6 percent of 

White girls with disabilities.6

In addition, gaps still exist for women and girls of color in science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics (STEM) education and careers. While in a recent survey, three quarters of teenage 

girls of color expressed interest in STEM,7 women and girls of color are still underrepresented in 

STEM educational programs and careers. In 2010, just 10.6 percent of bachelor’s degrees, 7.9 

percent of master’s degrees, and 3.9 percent of doctorate degrees in science and engineering 

were awarded to women of color, 8 and fewer than one in ten employed engineers and scientists 

are women of color.9 

The Obama Administration has provided states and districts with new tools and resources to 

tackle these persistent gaps. Through competitive grants, new federal-state partnerships, 

guidance on a wide range of issues, and other efforts such as the First Lady’s Reach Higher 

Initiative, the Obama Administration is working to ensure that every student graduates from high 

school prepared for college and a successful career. 
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Supporting Improved School Disciplinary Policies: In the Summer of 2011, Education Secretary 

Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder announced the launch of a collaborative project–

the Supportive School Discipline Initiative – between the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and 

Justice (DOJ) to support the use of school discipline practices that foster safe, supportive, and 

productive learning environments while keeping students in school.

 In 2013, ED, DOJ, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched 

a Supportive School Discipline Webinar Series.

 In 2014, ED and DOJ jointly released a School Discipline Guidance Package to (a) clarify 

schools' civil rights obligation to not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national 

origin in the administration of school discipline, and (b) provide a set of principles to help 

schools improve school climate and discipline practices. 

 In 2014, ED released the results of the 2011-2012 Civil Rights Data Collection, which 

includes school discipline data from every public elementary and secondary school in the 

country and certain juvenile justice facilities – including long-term secure facilities – and 

announced plans for future collection of juvenile justice data. 

 ED and DOJ engaged with various philanthropies and other key stakeholders to 

commission a School Discipline Consensus Project, led by the Council of State 

Governments, to bring together practitioners from the fields of education, juvenile 

justice, behavioral health, and law enforcement to develop recommendations to address 

the school-to-prison pipeline, including recommendations for strengthening services to 

youth in confinement. 

Focusing Education Reform on Marginalized Groups: The Administration has partnered with 41 

states and the District of Columbia to provide them with flexibility from certain requirements of 

the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by No Child Left 

Behind. In exchange for this ESEA flexibility, states and districts must develop rigorous and 

comprehensive plans designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, increase 

equity, and improve quality of education. These states are implementing college- and careerready standards, strengthening the teaching profession, and using data to identify and intervene 

at schools with the largest achievement gaps. As a result, schools and districts must develop and 

implement plans to improve the educational outcomes of all students and eliminate achievement 

gaps. 

Changing the Odds of Marginalized Girls in Career and Technical Education: The Administration 

has worked to ensure that all students have access to high quality Career and Technical Education 

(CTE) opportunities. Efforts include the following:

 Researching Barriers Preventing Women’s Full Access to Non-Traditional Occupations:

ED is commissioning a study led by the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education 

that will examine whether girls and young women in high school have access to high-
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quality programs that prepare them for careers that are non-traditional for women. The 

study will explore the extent to which equity issues relating to, but not limited to, gender, 

race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English language learner status, disability status, 

family composition and school locale are prevalent in secondary CTE. The study is 

expected to begin in 2015.

 Hosting a Major Convening on Marginalized Girls, Including Girls of Color, and STEM and 

CTE: Consistent with President Obama’s commitment to ensuring that all students have 

an equal opportunity to succeed, in January, 2015, ED, the White House Domestic Policy 

Council, the White House Council on Women and Girls and Georgetown University will 

convene thought leaders, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, advocates, and 

marginalized girls and young women to focus on increasing access to STEM and CTE

opportunities. We will address barriers to access, including cultural competency, race 

and gender stereotypes, discrimination, and lack of sufficient resources to support 

programs in schools and communities. This convening will produce and inform policy and 

programmatic proposals to help disrupt patterns of gender-based occupational 

segregation by increasing young women’s and girls’ participation in programs that 

prepare them for high-skill, high-wage jobs, including non-traditional occupations. The 

aim is to develop a strategy to prepare students for in-demand careers in high-growth 

industry sectors. 

Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Students: Teen pregnancy rates for Hispanic and Black girls 

are more than twice as high, and rates for American Indian/Alaska Native girls nearly twice as 

high, as rates for White girls.10 In June 2013, ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Dear 

Colleague Letter and Pamphlet on “Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting 

Students Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.” The letter and pamphlet, which 

were sent to school districts, colleges and universities across the country, contain information on 

effective strategies to support students who become pregnant or father children, as well as 

guidance on educational institutions’ legal obligations under Title IX. 

Ensuring Equal Access to Athletics: Girls of color play sports in high school at much lower rates 

than their White peers. According to research from the National Women’s Law Center, just 64 

percent of Hispanic and Black girls and 53 percent of Asian American girls play sports, compared 

with 76 percent of White girls.11 OCR has issued extensive guidance on schools’ Title IX 

obligations to provide equal athletic opportunities. Additionally, OCR vigorously enforces Title IX 

to ensure that all students, including women and girls of color, have equal access to athletic 

opportunities in school. For example, OCR recently entered into an agreement to resolve Title IX 

violations in the athletic program at Indianapolis Public Schools, which enrolls more than 30,000 

students, approximately 80 percent of whom are students of color. OCR found that the district 

denied equal athletic opportunities to girls with respect to accommodating their interests and 

abilities and providing locker rooms and facilities. The district agreed to conduct a 

comprehensive assessment of the athletic interests of female students; add athletic 

opportunities to address any unmet interest; and improve the athletic facilities, equipment and 

supplies provided to girls’ teams.
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Collecting Data on Civil Rights Issues: ED’s Civil Rights Data Collection gathers data on civil rights 

issues impacting students in every public school in the country, including school discipline, college 

and career readiness, teacher equity and early childhood education. The data is publicly 

accessible and can be disaggregated by race and sex, as well as by disability. 

Making College More Affordable: Women of color make up 23 percent of all college students, yet 

they receive 34 percent of all Pell Grants. President Obama has raised the maximum Pell Grant 

award to $5,730 for the 2014-15 award year – a nearly $1,000 increase since 2008. Under 

President Obama’s leadership, the number of Pell Grant recipients has expanded by 50 percent 

over that same time, providing college access to millions of additional low-income and middleclass students across the country. The Obama Administration’s landmark investment in the Pell 

Grant was enacted in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which ended 

student loan subsidies for private financial institutions and banks and shifted over $60 billion in 

savings back to students. In addition, in June of 2014, President Obama directed the Secretary 

of Education to ensure that student loans remain affordable for all who borrowed federal direct 

loans as students by allowing them to cap their payments at 10 percent of their monthly 

incomes. ED formally began its process to amend its regulations this fall with a goal of making 

the new plan available to borrowers by December 2015.

a. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

 

Providing Opportunities for Elementary and Secondary School Students in STEM: The

Administration supports numerous efforts to provide STEM opportunities to elementary and 

secondary school students, including many girls of color. Examples include the following: 

 Race to the Top Grant Program: ED’s Race to the Top Grant Program included a 

competitive preference for STEM. In order to receive competitive preference points, 

applicants had to include a high-quality plan to prepare more students for advanced study 

and careers in STEM, including by addressing the needs of underrepresented groups and 

girls. 

 2014 Teacher Quality Partnerships: Through this $35 million competitive program, the 

Administration awarded competitive grants to support the recruitment and development 

of new teachers through partnerships between institutions of higher education and highneed schools and districts. The initiative included a competitive preference priority for 

increasing the number of individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM 

teaching, including minorities, women and individuals with disabilities. A number of the 

new grant recipients serve high numbers of students of color. 

 Partnership Between General Services Administration (GSA) and Architecture, 

Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program: Over the past several years, as part 

of continuing efforts to introduce and expand awareness of the design and construction 
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industries among inner-city high school students, GSA has inspired high school students 

to pursue these careers through a partnership with the non-profit ACE Mentor Program, 

mentoring several hundred students in high schools throughout the country. The 

program has had tremendous success in attracting and mentoring female and minority 

students amongst others, and according to research conducted through the program, 

female participants enroll in college engineering programs at double the rate of nonparticipants. 

 Activities Supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):

NASA supports a number of STEM activities that have impacted girls of color. Highlights 

include the following:

 The Afterschool Universe (AU) Curriculum: This NASA-developed STEM 

curriculum has been evaluated and recommended by Great Science for Girls as 

one of seven curricula on their site which successfully stimulates girls’ interest in 

STEM subjects and instills self-confidence in their abilities. From the beginning, in 

working to disseminate this curriculum, the AU team has sought partner 

organizations with high percentages of students who are underrepresented in the 

sciences. 

 Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA): NASA Summer of Innovation 

(SOI) Pilot Program funded SOI activities at CGLA – the first all-girls public charter 

school in Tennessee – through a competitive solicitation that was designed to 

increase STEM engagement in underrepresented and underserved groups. Since 

2012, CGLA has engaged 336 girls and boys, of whom 292 are girls of color, in at 

least 30 hours of NASA education activities through summer and afterschool 

programs. Activities have focused on topics such as aeronautics, engineering 

design, robotics and rocketry. CGLA students represent the diversity of urban 

Chattanooga: the student population is 66 percent Black and 28 percent Hispanic, 

and 97 percent of students are low-income. 

 NASA-Girl Scouts Initiative for Farmworker Daughters: NASA Ames Research 

Center has partnered with the Northern California Girl Scouts to conduct STEMrelated activities – including building robots – throughout the year. This 

encompasses programming geared towards farmworker daughters, many of 

whom are Hispanic. 

Ensuring Access to High School and College Courses and Programs in STEM: To increase access 

to STEM education opportunities, ED’s Office for Civil Rights OCR created a STEM resources 

webpage in 2012 to make clear to schools, students, and parents that the civil rights laws 

enforced by OCR apply to STEM courses and programs. The webpage includes a technical 

assistance presentation for principal investigators, faculty, and administrators at postsecondary 

institutions with practical examples of how Title IX applies to STEM. The webpage also includes 

a 2008 Dear Colleague letter on Title VI access to advanced placement and other challenging 
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courses. OCR has also worked to enforce the federal civil rights laws to increase access to STEM: 

For example, in January 2014, OCR resolved a STEM education case in the Cleveland Metropolitan 

School District. Seats were going unfilled in outstanding STEM-focused schools because the 

district was not advertising the course availability in Spanish, the home language of 80 percent 

of the district’s English learner students. OCR’s agreement in this case, affecting 38,000 students, 

required the district to form a committee, made up partially of community members, to identify

and assess barriers to Hispanic students’ participation in STEM programs. In addition, OCR has 

formed a partnership between ED’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) 

program and NASA to develop high-quality STEM program “challenges” that serve students from 

high-poverty and low-income schools, including traditionally underserved groups like students of 

color and girls. As it enters its second year of implementation, the project will expand from three 

states and 20 participating sites to up to seven states and approximately 70 sites. Best practices 

around providing high-quality STEM experiences to all students will be highlighted and shared 

with the more than 10,000 21st CCLC program sites across the country. 

Providing Opportunities for College and University Students in STEM Fields: The Administration 

has supported efforts that are inspiring more women of color and others to pursue degrees in 

STEM fields, including the following:

 NASA Pathways Intern Program: This program provides college students with exciting, 

hands-on experience in science and engineering fields, helping them to secure 

employment in these fields upon completing their degrees. One-third of the women 

participating in this program are women of color. 

 Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP): MUREP enhances the 

research, academic, and technological capabilities of Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian 

American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and other MinorityServing Institutions. MUREP assists with the recruitment and retention of 

underrepresented and underserved students, including women and girls and persons 

with disabilities. MUREP also hosts competitive undergraduate and graduate fellowships 

that require intensive research at a NASA Field Center and that will help increase the 

number of persons with degrees most relevant to the future NASA STEM workforce. In 

addition, the Harriet G. Jenkins Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program – once a stand-alone 

competitive opportunity but recently consolidated into MUREP – has operated for 

thirteen years, supporting a total of 211 fellows, of which 128 were women. 

 Tribal ecoAmbassadors Program: Since 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

Tribal ecoAmbassadors Program has created new STEM opportunities for more than 100 

tribal college students. The program, which partners Tribal College and University 

professors and students with EPA scientists to solve pressing environmental issues, has 

helped more than 60 tribal college women develop professional monitoring and analysis 

skills that are critical for an environmental career. 
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 Department of Energy (DOE) Scholarships: DOE has a number of programs that promote 

women’s and girls’ participation and training in STEM fields. A number of colleges receive 

support from DOE; for example, since 2008, DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and 

Diversity has provided $350,000 to support 70 DOE STEM scholarships for exceptionally 

qualified young women at Spelman College to help them pursue their academic goals of 

earning a STEM degree. Students are also given the opportunity to participate in DOE’s 

Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program, which introduces students 

to DOE workforce opportunities and STEM careers.

 U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) Program at Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities: In the spring of 2014, the USPTO collaborated with the Association of Public 

and Land Grant Universities to identify ways to implement and accelerate innovation and 

entrepreneurship programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The first 

program will begin this academic year at Howard University and aims to increase 

retention rates among groups underrepresented in STEM-related areas of study, 

including women and minorities. 
15

2. Economic Security

Women of color make up 35 percent of the female workforce in America and have made 

important strides in attaining economic security and professional success. In recent years, for 

example, an increasing number of women of color have pursued careers as entrepreneurs. While 

between 1997 and 2013, the number of women-owned businesses increased by 59 percent, the 

number of Black women-owned businesses increased by 258 percent; Hispanic women-owned 

businesses, by 180 percent; Asian American women-owned businesses, by 156 percent; and 

American Indian/Alaska Native women-owned businesses, by 108 percent.12 

Yet, despite these gains, women of color still face significant economic challenges. While over the 

past three years, 12-month average unemployment rates have fallen by 3.2 percentage points for 

Black women, 3.6 percentage points for Hispanic women, and 2.8 percentage points for Asian 

American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women, unemployment rates for women of color are still 

generally higher than for White women.13 Women of color are also still overrepresented in lowpaying jobs, underrepresented in management positions, and too often lack access to critical 

supports like quality, affordable child care and paid leave. Only 47 percent of Black women, 45 

percent of AAPI women, and 36 percent of Hispanic women report having access to some form of

paid leave – including either formal policies or informal arrangements – to care for family 

members.14

Women of color also face significant wage gaps, with Asian American women still making 79 

cents, Black women making 64 cents, and Hispanic women making 56 cents, for every dollar paid 

to White, non-Hispanic men.15 In addition, women of color still experience higher than average 

rates of poverty – approximately 25 percent of Hispanic women, 29 percent of Black women, and 

32 percent of Native American women live in poverty, compared with about 16 percent of all 

women16; and roughly 30 percent of Hispanic girls, 39 percent of Black girls, and 40 percent of 

Native American girls live in poverty, compared with 20 percent of all girls.17 While disparities 

exist among various AAPI communities, overall, AAPI women and girls are less likely than other 

women to live in poverty, with poverty rates among AAPI girls at 9 percent and among women at 

11 percent.18 

President Obama has worked to promote greater economic security for all Americans with efforts 

to close the pay gap, raise the minimum wage, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child 

Tax Credit, increase access to child care and paid leave, support entrepreneurship and ensure 

retirement security. The Obama Administration also hosted the first-ever White House Summit 

on Working Families in 2014 to spur a national conversation about workplace policies and set a 

new agenda to bring American workplaces into the 21st century.
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a. Consumer Protection

Cracking Down on Fraud: Women are slightly more likely – and people in certain communities of 

color are significantly more likely – to be the victims of fraud. 11.7 percent of women are victims 

of fraud compared with 9.8 percent of men; and 17.3 percent of Black people and 13.4 percent 

of Hispanics have been victims of fraud, compared with 9.0 percent of non-Hispanic Whites and 

6.2 percent of Asian Americans.19 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has devoted significant 

resources to identifying, locating and stopping fraud. These efforts have resulted in a number of 

settlements, court orders and refunds for affected consumers.

 

Educating Consumers From Diverse Communities About Fraud: The FTC conducts extensive 

education and outreach initiatives to help consumers from diverse communities recognize and 

report fraud. For example, the FTC provides resources to help people spot immigration scams, 

and legal services providers, police departments and advocates order this information in bulk to 

distribute to their communities. The FTC has also created fotonovelas, illustrated brochures that 

tell stories based on complaints the FTC receives from Spanish speakers nationwide. In addition, 

the FTC works to disseminate information about consumer issues through advocates, legal 

service providers, and other community groups that serve women of color, including the NAACP, 

National Urban League, National Council of La Raza, League of United Latin American Citizens, 

the National Asian American Coalition and others. 

b. Entrepreneurship

Increasing Access to Capital: Through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) flagship 7(a) 

lending program, SBA guarantees a percentage of the bank’s risk, so the bank is more likely to 

approve a small business loan. From fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2014, SBA increased the 

number of 7(a) loans made to women overall by 14 percent and to Black women by 29 percent,

Hispanic women by 15 percent, American Indian/Alaska Native women by 34 percent, and AAPI 

women by 18 percent.20 SBA recently eliminated fees on loans under $150,000, and between 

fiscal year 2013 and fiscal year 2014, the number of 7(a) loans under $150,000 made to women 

overall increased by 24 percent, and loans made to women of color increased by 30 percent. 

Additional changes to SBA’s lending programs include modifying credit scoring in order to further 

expand access to capital for underserved companies. Since January of 2009, SBA has approved 

loans for small businesses across the country, including 54,264 loans to women totaling 20.1 

billion, of which 26 percent – 14,117 loans totaling $5.8 billion – were to women of color. In 

addition, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) at the Department of Commerce 

has worked closely with businesses across the country, helping to secure $19.4 billion in contracts 

and capital between 2009 and 2013.

 

Expanding Opportunities for Government Contracting: SBA’s 8(a) program is a business 

development initiative for companies owned by socially and economically disadvantaged 

individuals, including many women of color. Through the nine-year program term, companies 

receive business development assistance and grow through a combination of federal government 
17

contract awards and managerial and technical support. Nearly one-third of the companies 

participating in this program, which generates billions of dollars each year in government 

contracts to small businesses, are women-owned. In addition, in 2011, SBA implemented the 

Woman-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program, helping more women, including many 

women of color, earn federal contracts for their businesses. Between fiscal year 2012 and fiscal 

year 2013, the percentage of eligible contracting dollars awarded to woman-owned small 

businesses increased by 7.5 percent to more than $15 billion. 

Helping More Women Acquire the Skills They Need to Start and Grow Their Own Businesses: The 

Women’s Business Center (WBC) network, administered by SBA, provides grants to nearly 110 

Women’s Business Centers located across the country in nearly every state. The primary focus 

of WBC is to provide training and technical assistance to nascent and existing women-owned 

firms, and it is the only business counseling program offered by SBA with a statutory purpose of 

serving socially and economically disadvantaged women. In addition, MBDA runs a network of 

MBDA business centers across the country that provide technical assistance to promote the

growth and global competitiveness of U.S. firms.

Expanding Export Opportunities: The Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) provides dedicated, 

hands-on guidance to small businesses, including women and minority-owned companies, that 

seek to grow their exports and sales, but are lacking the commercial financing they need to 

expand. In fiscal year 2014 alone, Ex-Im Bank supported approximately $2 billion in exports from 

minority and women-owned businesses. 

Providing Small Business Opportunities to Students at Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities: The Department of Transportation’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization (OSDBU) works with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to coordinate 

internships for students interested in small business operations. For example, in 2009, OSDBU 

implemented the Pilot Entrepreneurial Women and Girls Training Program via a partnership 

between OSDBU and Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Through the pilot, 28 young women 

were placed in various transportation-related positions, including at the Georgia Department of 

Transportation, Hartsfield International Airport, FAA and private transportation industry firms. 

c. Equal Pay 

Passing and Promoting Policies to Close the Pay Gap: President Obama has taken the following 

actions, helping women receive equal pay for their work: 

 Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act: The first bill President Obama signed into law, this 

Act extended the time period during which claimants can bring pay discrimination claims 

and enabled countless victims of pay discrimination to seek redress where they otherwise 

could not. 
18

 Created the National Equal Pay Task Force in 2010 to crack down on violations of equal 

pay laws: This Administration has strengthened enforcement, overseen substantial 

monetary recoveries, and made critical investments in education and outreach for both 

employers and employees.

 Signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal contractors from retaliating against 

employees who choose to discuss their compensation: This Order provides a critical tool 

to encourage pay transparency so workers can discover violations of pay discrimination 

laws and seek appropriate remedies. 

 Issued a Presidential Memorandum instructing the Secretary of Labor to establish new 

regulations requiring federal contractors to submit summary data on compensation paid 

to their employees, including data by sex and race. The Department of Labor (DOL) issued 

a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in August 2014, and the comment period for this 

proposed rule will end on January 5, 2015.

 Continues to call on Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, commonsense legislation 

that would give women additional tools to fight pay discrimination.

 Called on Congress in his 2013 State of the Union Address to pass legislation to raise the 

federal minimum wage to $10.10 and index it to inflation, which would close the pay gap 

for women by about five percent. 

Enforcing Equal Pay Laws and Policies: In 2013, The Office of Federal Contract Compliance 

Programs (OFCCP) at DOL implemented new policy guidance that removed barriers to finding and 

resolving systemic, wage-based discrimination cases. In 2013, OFCCP closed 21 cases of pay 

discrimination, recovering over $1.2 million for about 965 workers. Noteworthy achievements 

impacting women of color included the following:

 A $290,000 settlement against Medtronic International Vascular Inc. – a manufacturing 

facility in Danvers, Massachusetts – for Hispanic production workers who were paid less 

than comparable white workers performing the same job. 

 The recovery of $265,000 from G & K Services Co. for predominantly Hispanic female 

laundry workers in Santa Fe Springs, California, who were steered into lower-paying jobs 

based on stereotypes about the kinds of work women and men should perform. 

Conducting Education and Outreach to Promote Equal Pay: DOL has conducted numerous efforts 

across America to educate people about the issue of equal pay and find local solutions. Examples 

include the following:

 Starting in 2011, DOL’s Women’s Bureau, in partnership with DOL’s Office of Public 

Engagement and Center for Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships, convened a series 

of briefings to highlight the plight of America’s most vulnerable workers. The series, 
19

entitled “Vulnerable Women Workers,” assembled national women’s organizations, 

private foundations and government agencies to learn more about the working 

conditions and gender-based pay equity challenges of vulnerable workers, including 

vulnerable workers of color. Each briefing also examined best practices from the 

employer community and potential models for reform. 

 

 In April 2012, the Women’s Bureau issued two publications on equal pay: 1) A Guide to 

Women’s Equal Pay Rights, which helps working women understand their rights under 

certain laws that govern equal pay and compensation, and 2) An Employer’s Guide to 

Equal Pay, which helps employers understand the primary federal laws that govern equal 

pay and compensation, provides tips to monitor pay practices and identifies resources 

regarding compliance with the laws. 

 In June of 2013, the National Equal Pay Taskforce – which was established in response to 

President Obama’s pledge in 2010 to crack down on violations of equal pay laws and 

includes professionals from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the 

Department of Justice (DOJ), DOL and the Office of Personnel Management – released a 

report entitled Fifty Years After the Equal Pay Act. Findings of the Report include the 

following: a significant portion of the wage gap cannot be fully explained by such factors 

as job characteristics and work experience; occupational segregation still leads to men 

and women working in different kinds of jobs; management positions have some of the 

largest pay differences; and there is a “motherhood penalty” for women with children 

resulting from stereotypes and biases about working mothers. 

d. Housing 

Ending Housing Discrimination Against Victims of Domestic Violence: In 2010, the Department

of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released new rules implementing protections in the 

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for victims of domestic violence living in public and 

voucher-supported housing. In March 2013, President Obama signed the reauthorization of 

VAWA, which expanded these protections to sexual assault victims and extended the law to 

include additional federally subsidized housing programs. HUD has been working to inform the 

public of how these policy changes will impact tenants and housing providers in HUD-assisted 

housing and shelters. In just HUD’s three major rental assistance programs – public housing, 

multifamily project-based rental assistance, and Housing Choice Vouchers – 9.8 million tenants, 

of whom 3.36 million are women and girls of color, will be impacted. These efforts and HUD’s 

work to protect victims of domestic violence through the Fair Housing Act are already bringing 

justice for women who are victims of domestic violence. For example, in 2014, HUD announced 

settlement agreements with the owners and managers of properties in Berlin, New Hampshire 

and with the town of Norristown, Pennsylvania over allegations that victims of domestic violence 

were threatened with eviction or refused housing based on domestic violence-related 911 calls, 

in violation of the Fair Housing Act. 
20

Ending Lending Discrimination Against Pregnant Women and Women on Maternity Leave: Since 

2010, HUD has conducted aggressive enforcement to eliminate discrimination in mortgage 

lending against pregnant women and women on maternity leave. HUD has directly helped more 

than 370 people and concluded more than 40 settlements related to maternity leave, including 

a recent settlement with Wells Fargo for $5 million. These enforcement actions have led to policy 

changes at many lending institutions.

Helping Families in Public Housing Gain Economic Independence 

 Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Demonstration Program: In 2013, HUD continued funding 

($1.89 million) the FSS Demonstration Program to gain a deeper understanding of the 

strategies that engender economic independence, specifically for families with children. 

The FSS program serves voucher holders and residents of public housing – many of whom 

are women of color – helping them increase their family’s income and savings through 

services and employment opportunities. The demonstration will track the progress of a 

group of FSS participants to determine the best strategies for enabling economic 

independence. 

 Family Options Study: HUD is undertaking research to assess the effectiveness of various 

service and housing interventions in ending homelessness for families. HUD’s Family 

Options Study includes more than 2,200 homeless families – many of which are headed 

by women of color – from 12 communities who were randomly assigned to one of four 

interventions to be tested. In the FY13 budget, $4.39 million was obligated to continue 

funding for this study. 

Working to Prevent Homelessness and Advance Well-Being and Economic Security for Veterans:

Younger Veterans are at higher risk for homelessness, with young, female, Black Veterans at the 

greatest risk.21 Through the HUD-VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) voucher program, 

more than 73,000 Veterans have obtained housing vouchers since 2008. Another program, the 

Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, prevented more than 60,000 Veterans and 

their family members from falling into homelessness in 2013 alone. Also in 2013, the Veterans 

Employment and Training Service at DOL established the Women Veterans Program, 

implemented in collaboration with the Women’s Bureau. This program works to empower 

women Veterans to achieve economic stability and equality in the workplace. In August 2013, 

VETS announced the award of 22 grants, totaling more than $5 million, to provide job training to 

about 1,900 homeless female Veterans and Veterans with families. These grants also supported 

career counseling, life skills and money management mentoring and help in finding housing. In 

addition, in 2014, as part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces initiative, the 

Administration announced a commitment by 222 mayors, six governors and 17 county executives 

to meet the goal of preventing and ending Veteran homelessness by the end of 2015. Since 2011, 

Veteran homelessness has fallen by 33 percent. 
21

e. Minimum Wage, Low-Income Workers, and Poverty-Prevention Efforts

Fighting to Raise the Minimum Wage: While Black women and Hispanic women account for 

about 6 percent and 9 percent of the workforce, respectively, they account for 9 percent and 12 

percent of all workers who would benefit from raising the minimum wage. President Obama has 

fought for an increase in the national minimum wage, signing an Executive Order that will raise 

the minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contract workers, calling on Congress in his 2013 State 

of the Union Address to pass legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 and index

it to inflation, and calling on cities and states to raise their minimum wage. Since then, 17 states 

– including Alaska, Arkansas, California, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, 

Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont

and West Virginia – and Washington, DC have raised their minimum wage, resulting in higher 

wages for an estimated 360,000 Black women, 1.2 million Hispanic women, and 320,000 AAPI 

and American Indian/Alaska Native women. 25 cities and counties across the country have also 

taken action to raise the minimum wage.

Extending Minimum Wage and Overtime Protections to Home Care Workers: Fulfilling a promise 

by President Obama to ensure that home care workers are paid fairly for their work, DOL issued 

a final rule ensuring that the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum wage and overtime protections 

apply to most of the nation’s workers who provide essential home and personal care assistance 

to seniors and individuals with disabilities. Workers in these fields are among the lowest paid 

workers, and of the nearly two million workers who will be affected by this rule, nearly 50 percent 

are women of color. Under the new rule, many home health aides, personal care aides, and 

certified nursing assistants who provide home and personal care services will receive the same 

basic protections already provided to most U.S. workers. The rule will also help guarantee that 

those who rely on the assistance of home care workers have access to an increasingly 

professional workforce.

Enforcing Minimum Wage Laws: The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) at DOL has stepped up 

targeted enforcement efforts in industries most at risk of labor violations, including janitorial, 

health care, hotel and motel, garment, and restaurant – industries that employ high numbers of 

women of color, migrant or seasonal laborers, and workers with limited English language skills. 

In fiscal year 2013, WHD investigations resulted in awards of more than $249.9 million in back 

wages and helped more than 269,000 workers. Of those awards, more than $83 million in back 

wages were won for more than 108,000 workers specifically in low-wage industries. 

Cutting Taxes for Working Families: During his first term in office, President Obama enacted, 

and Congress extended with bipartisan support through 2017, significant expansions to tax 

credits for working families. These include expansions to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) 

and Child Tax Credit (CTC), which strengthen work incentives and help parents afford the costs 

of raising a family, and the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps working and middleclass families pay for college. Together, these improvements provide 26 million families with an 

average tax cut of more than $1,000 each year, and the EITC and CTC expansions alone raise the 

after-tax income of about 2.9 million African American women and girls, 5.4 million Hispanic 
22

women and girls, 200,000 AAPI women and girls and 800,000 American Indian/Alaska Native 

women and girls. And while Black and Hispanic women account for 6 and 7 percent of the labor 

force, respectively, they account for 10 and 16 percent of workers who benefit from expansions 

of the EITC and CTC. About 19 percent of Black women, 27 percent of Hispanic women, and 12 

percent of AAPI and American Indian/Alaska Native women benefit from these expansions, as 

compared with about 11 percent of all workers. 

Seeking to Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for Childless Workers: The EITC is a proven tool 

to increase and reward work, and many low-income families with children have benefitted from 

this credit. However, childless workers – including many women of color – can receive only up 

to $500 and must be at least 25 years old, limiting the power of the credit to incentivize 

employment among this population. Consequently, President Obama has proposed doubling the 

maximum credit to $1,000, raising the income eligibility standard to increase eligibility among 

full-time minimum wage workers, and lowering the age minimum from 25 to 21. This proposed 

expansion would be fully paid for within President Obama’s budget by closing tax loopholes and 

would raise the take-home pay of approximately 13.5 million workers, including 900,000 Black

women, 1.1 million Hispanic women, and 400,000 AAPI and American Indian/Alaska Native 

women. 

Promoting Access to Child Care: The Administration has supported nationwide efforts to increase 

access to quality, affordable child care, including the following:

 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009: ARRA invested $2 billion in 

the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) – a federal program that helps low-income 

families obtain child care – to provide assistance for an additional 300,000 children and 

families during the height of the recession. 

 Proposed Regulatory Changes: In May of 2013, the Administration released a proposed 

rule that would raise the quality of the existing child care system and promote family 

friendly policies. For example, the proposed rule would allow families to receive 12 

months of assistance before they need to re-apply for CCDF child care subsidies, and it 

would require states to let families keep their child care subsidy while searching for a job. 

The rule would also ensure that children are cared for in safe environments that meet 

minimum health and safety requirements.

 Grants to Provide Child Care for Workers in Job Training Programs: DOL will make funds 

available competitively for technical skill training grants to provide low-wage individuals 

opportunities to advance in their careers in in-demand industries, with $25 million of the 

competition focused on addressing barriers to training faced by those with child care 

responsibilities. With the help of additional public or private funding that it will leverage, 

these dedicated funds will promote greater availability of activities such as co-location of 

training and child care services, access to unconventional training delivery times or 

locations, flexibilities related to scheduling and child care exigencies, and improved access 

to related child care services. These funds will give more working families a path to 
23

secure, higher wage jobs by addressing the significant barriers related to finding and 

acquiring affordable, high quality child care – including emergency care – while attending 

skills training programs. For example, evidence shows that single parents who receive 

child care are much more likely to complete job training programs than those who do not 

have access to child care.22 The new competition, which will be launched next year, will 

aim to increase participation and completion rates of those in training by supporting 

sustainable and innovative approaches that expand workers’ access to child care.

Making Historic Investments and Reforms in Head Start and Early Head Start: Through the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Administration invested $2.1 billion in 

Head Start and Early Head Start, reaching an additional 61,000 children with quality early learning 

opportunities. In addition, Congress appropriated $500 million for new Early Head Start-Child 

Care Partnerships – an initiative first proposed in President Obama’s 2014 Budget – to increase 

access to high-quality infant and toddler care for tens of thousands of young children. The 

Administration has also worked to improve the quality of Head Start, including launching a new 

process designed to ensure that only the highest quality programs receive Head Start funding. 

Supporting Quality Early Learning Opportunities: The Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge 

competition has provided $1 billion to 20 states to create statewide systems of early learning 

that raise the bar on quality; establish higher standards across programs; provide critical links 

with health, nutrition, mental health and family support; and enhance school readiness. In 

addition, in 2014, Congress appropriated $250 million for Preschool Development Grants – grants 

that were first proposed in President Obama’s 2014 Budget – that will help states build, develop 

and expand high-quality preschool programs. 

Promoting Access to Paid Leave: DOL is targeting funds for Paid Leave Analysis Grants to allow 

up to five states to conduct research and feasibility studies that could support the development 

or implementation of state paid leave programs. The selection process will give priority to states 

that can demonstrate commitment to building a knowledge base needed to implement paid 

leave programs, and can present clearly articulated strategies for leveraging research to do so. 

DOL is also funding two new independent research studies related to employee leave that will 

examine how paid leave programs impact employers and workers. 

f. Non-Traditional Occupations

Working to Stop Discrimination in Construction Trades: Women hold only 2.6 percent of 

constructions jobs23 – and the statistics for women of color are even worse, with Hispanic women 

holding just 0.4 percent of construction jobs; Black women, 0.2 percent; and AAPI and American 

Indian/Alaska Native women, just 0.1 percent each.24 Yet, DOL has projected that, by 2022, the 

construction industry will add 1.6 million new jobs – many of them relatively high-wage jobs. The 

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs at DOL has been focusing on preventing and 

remedying discrimination in the construction industry, including in federally funded and federally 

assisted Mega Construction Projects (MCP). These are projects that are valued at $25 million or 
24

more, are expected to last for at least one year, and will have a significant economic impact in 

their communities. Through its MCP Initiative, DOL convenes parties involved in large-scale, highprofile construction projects around the country – including construction prime contractors and 

subcontractors; unions; community leaders; and federal, state and local governments – to ensure 

coordination and compliance with equal employment obligations. Designed to address the 

historical underrepresentation of minorities and women in skilled construction trades, the MCP 

Initiative enables contractors to identify qualified women and minority workers through effective 

recruitment and training. 

Providing Opportunities in STEM Careers: The federal government supports a number of 

initiatives that promote access to opportunities in STEM careers, including the following:

 Committee on Women of Color in Biomedical Careers: The committee on Women of 

Color in Biomedical Careers – which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 

Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers, co-chaired by the NIH Director and the 

Director of the Office of Research in Women’s Health – was established to ensure that 

the unique career challenges faced by women of color are addressed, including

recruitment, mentoring, retention and promotion. In order to accomplish these goals, 

the Committee created a Women of Color Research Network, a new social media site 

providing information, mentoring, and career development opportunities for women of 

color in biomedical careers and for all who support diversity in the scientific workforce. 

To date, the site has more than 1,300 active users. 

 The SEED Initiative (STEM, Energy, and Economic Development): This initiative, led by 

the Department of Energy (DOE) in collaboration with HUD and the Department of 

Education (ED), is an innovative effort to create economic opportunity and energy-literate 

communities across the country. SEED is focused on public housing residents, many of 

whom are women of color, and it includes efforts to improve energy literacy among public 

housing residents and STEM-related educational programs for youth living in public 

housing. SEED also works to promote long-term economic opportunity for public housing 

residents by leveraging federal, state, and local resources to create training and pathways 

to energy and STEM jobs. 

Supporting Research on Participation in STEM Fields: This Administration has supported a 

number of research projects focused on understanding the supports and barriers for women and 

girls of color in STEM education and the workforce. For example, in 2009, NIH funded 14 grants

– totaling an estimated $16.8 million over four years – to support research on causal factors and 

interventions that affect the careers of women in biomedical and behavioral science and 

engineering. A number of these research projects focused on the needs, education and career 

trajectories of women of color.
25

g. Retirement 

Making it Easier for Workers to Save for Retirement: 21 percent of Black women ages 65 and 

older live in poverty, as do 20 percent of Hispanic women, and 13 percent of Asian American 

women, compared with 9 percent of White women.25 White households have six times the 

wealth, including retirement savings, of Black or Hispanic households.

26 And low-wage and parttime workers are just one-third as likely as high-wage and full-time workers to participate in an 

employer-based retirement plan.27 Consequently, many women of color are at risk for an 

insecure retirement and want to be saving more, but lack access to a workplace retirement 

account or encounter barriers to signing up for one. To make it easier to save for retirement, 

President Obama has proposed in every budget since taking office to establish automatic 

enrollment in IRAs (or “auto-IRAs”) for employees without access to an employer-sponsored 

savings plan. In addition, rather than waiting for Congress to enact auto-IRA legislation, President 

Obama announced in his 2014 State of the Union address the creation of myRA – a simple, safe, 

and affordable “starter” retirement savings account targeted at workers without access to 

employer plans and offering the same investment return available to federal employees.

Helping Women in Underserved Populations Plan for Retirement: The Administration for 

Community Living at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established the 

National Education and Resource Center on Women and Retirement Planning, helping women in 

underserved communities – including low-income women, women of color, women with limited 

English proficiency, rural women and others – manage their finances and plan for retirement and 

long-term care. The Center provides relevant training and culturally-appropriate educational 

workshops, materials, social media resources, newsletters and manuals, and basic financial and 

retirement literacy tools, as well as strategies to prevent fraud and financial exploitation. 

h. Workplace Discrimination

Fighting Discrimination by Federal Contractors: Since President Obama took office, compliance 

officers in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) at DOL have reviewed 

24,000 federal contractor establishments, which employ 9.5 million workers. Through scheduled 

compliance evaluations and investigations of individual complaints, DOL uncovered 465 cases of 

discrimination, recovered $61 million in financial remedies, and negotiated more than 10,000 

potential job offers for 100,000 workers who were unfairly subjected to discrimination. In fiscal 

year 2013 alone, nearly $13 million and 1,500 job offers were recouped for 18,000 workers, 

including a number of women of color. 

Combatting Pregnancy Discrimination: DOL has released a new online map that will be a onestop shop where working families can learn about the rights of pregnant workers in each state. 

The map allows families to see which states are leading the charge in protecting their rights and 

which are lagging behind, and it will continue to reflect any future changes in state and federal 

policy. DOL is also drafting a publication for release in 2015 on best practices for reasonable 

accommodation for pregnant workers and is planning a nationwide webinar on state-level 
26

pregnancy discrimination laws. In addition, President Obama called on Congress to pass the 

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would require employers to make reasonable 

accommodations to workers who have limitations from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical 

conditions (unless it would impose an undue hardship on the employer). The legislation would 

also prohibit employers from forcing pregnant employees to take paid or unpaid leave if a 

reasonable accommodation would allow them to work.
27

3. Health

Women of color have made important progress on a number of health indicators, but glaring 

disparities still remain. Teen pregnancy rates for girls of color ages 15-19 have decreased 

dramatically since 1990, falling by 56 percent for non-Hispanic Black girls, 47 percent for Hispanic 

girls, 54 percent for American Indian/Alaska Native girls, and 60 percent for Asian American and 

Pacific Islander (AAPI) girls.28 Yet, rates for girls of color are still significantly higher than for White 

girls, with non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic teen pregnancy rates more than twice as high, and 

American Indian/Alaska Native rates nearly twice as high, as rates for White girls.29 

Women of color are also at greater risk for a number of serious conditions, including diabetes, 

obesity, certain kinds of cancers and HIV/AIDS. While the rate of new HIV infections decreased 

by 21 percent among Black women between 2008 and 2010,30 Black women still represent 63 

percent of new HIV cases among women and the majority of women living with the disease,31 and 

the rate of new infections for Hispanic women is more than quadruple the rate for non-Hispanic 

White women.32 Certain populations of women of color also experience higher infant and 

pregnancy-related mortality rates, with babies born to Black women more than twice as likely to 

die than babies born to White women, and babies born to American Indian/Alaska Native women

roughly 50 percent more likely to die.33 And pregnancy-related mortality rates for Black women 

are three times those for White women.34 In addition, women in some communities of color are 

less likely to receive important screenings; for example, Asian American women are less likely 

than women of any other race to be screened for breast and cervical cancer.35 

These disparities stem from a number of factors – from socioeconomic challenges to inadequate 

access to quality, affordable health care – and addressing them is one of the core objectives of 

the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Passed in 2010, the ACA, along with many other Administration 

programs and policies, is already improving the health and well-being of millions of women of 

color across the country.

a. Health Disparities

Passing the Affordable Care Act (ACA): The passage of the ACA in 2010 benefited women of color 

in numerous ways. An estimated 12.5 million women of color – 5.1 million Black women, 4.9 

million Hispanic women, and 2.5 million Asian American women – with private health insurance 

now have guaranteed access to women’s preventive services without cost-sharing. These 

services include well-woman visits, FDA-approved contraception, breastfeeding support, 

mammograms, domestic violence counseling, screenings for cervical cancer, prenatal care and 

other services. In addition, more than 658,000 women of color between the ages of 19 and 25 

who would have been uninsured now have coverage under their parents’ employer-sponsored 

or individually purchased health plans. And thanks to the ACA, about 10.4 million women of color 

– 3.9 million Black women, 4.4 million Hispanic women, and 2.1 million Asian American women 

– no longer have lifetime limits on their health insurance plans. The ACA also bans health 

insurance discrimination based on gender, ensures that federal surveys collect standardized data 
28

on race and ethnicity to identify health disparities, and improves access to culturally appropriate 

care. In addition, under the ACA, community health centers – which disproportionately serve 

people of color and provide care to medically underserved areas – will receive $11 billion in 

increased funding through fiscal year 2015. 

Reducing Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality: Black women have the highest breast cancer 

death rates of all racial and ethnic groups and are 40 percent more likely to die of breast cancer 

than White women.36 To help address such disparities, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer 

Early Detection Program is using evidence-based interventions, targeting outreach to 

underserved communities, assuring quality screening and providing direct services. 53 percent 

of the women screened by the program are racial and ethnic minorities. 

Reducing Chronic Disease Risk Factors: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American 

women, accounting for one in every four deaths. Although women of all ages, races and 

ethnicities are affected, Black people and older individuals are at higher risk than others.37 CDC’s 

WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation) 

program provides low-income, under-insured or uninsured women between the ages of 40 and 

64 with screenings, lifestyle programs, and referral services aimed at reducing the risk of heart 

disease, stroke and other chronic diseases. This includes screening for hypertension and heart 

disease risk factors as well as free or low-cost community-based nutrition, physical activity and 

tobacco cessation resources. WISEWOMAN consists of 22 CDC-funded programs in 20 states and 

two Alaska Native tribal organizations. Between July of 2008 and July of 2013, 44 percent of 

women who participated in this program were members of racial and ethnic minorities. 

WISEWOMAN accomplishments include:

 Providing more than 217,000 screenings to almost 150,000 women for heart disease and 

stroke between 2008 and 2013. Results show an estimated 90 percent of WISEWOMAN 

participants have at least one of the five major risk factors for heart disease –

hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, overweight/obesity and smoking. 

 Providing nearly 250,000 lifestyle intervention sessions to more than 100,000 women 

between 2008 and 2013 to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. 

Understanding Infertility (Causes, Use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Impact of Race):

Although Black women disproportionately experience conditions that affect fertility, they may 

be less likely to access infertility services. This multi-center study, funded by CDC and NIH at a 

total of approximately $2 million over four years, aims to describe specific infertility diagnoses, 

association of infertility with sexually transmitted infections, and use of assisted reproductive 

technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) among women attending infertility clinics, 

including how these factors vary by race. When complete, the results of the study will be used 

to inform efforts to address racial disparities in infertility and access to infertility services. 

Addressing Gestational Diabetes in Tribal Communities: Through a five-year cooperative 

agreement, CDC is funding the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors to develop a 
29

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) collaborative with four tribal organizations which focus on 

improving GDM surveillance and interventions to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes 

through postpartum glucose testing and long-term follow-up. 

Promoting Minority Women Veterans’ Utilization of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Benefits and Services: The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) staff liaisons and Minority 

Veterans Program Coordinators conduct outreach to minority women Veterans to increase their 

awareness of, and encourage the utilization of, VA benefits and services. Special emphasis is 

placed on educating Veterans on the availability of gender specific medical care and other 

relevant VA benefits and services. 

b. HIV/AIDS

Reducing HIV-Related Disparities: In 2010, the Obama Administration released the National 

HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), the first comprehensive national plan to address the domestic 

HIV/AIDS epidemic. NHAS sets forth a vision whereby “The United States will become a place 

where new HIV infections are rare, and when they do occur, every person regardless of age, 

gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will 

have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and 

discrimination.” NHAS contains three health-focused goals: reducing new infections; increasing 

access to care and optimizing health outcomes; and reducing HIV-related health disparities and 

health inequities. Since the release of NHAS, one of its major successes has been to reduce new 

HIV infections in Black women by 21 percent. 

Implementing a National Framework to Eliminate Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission (EMCT) in 

the United States: More than 8,000 women living with HIV deliver infants each year in the United 

States, and approximately 200 of these infants are born with HIV. Of the mothers and infants, 

about 70 percent are Black and 15 percent are Hispanic. Work is being done in three main 

domains to improve care and services for women living with HIV and to eliminate mother-tochild HIV transmission: 1) an expert panel on reproductive health and preconception care is 

developing tools and strategies to reduce unintended pregnancies, provide quality reproductive 

health services and improve maternal health prior to pregnancy; 2) a group of more than 50 

national stakeholders are working to implement a national framework for EMCT, and 3) a 

national resource center is providing technical assistance and capacity-building to implement and 

promote the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review HIV Prevention Methodology. 

Working to Improve HIV Testing Rates: The federal government supports a number of efforts to 

promote HIV testing, including the following:

 Researching New Strategies to Increase HIV Testing Rates for Black Women: CDC 

funded three community-based organizations and one university to compare the 

effectiveness of three strategies to recruit Black women for HIV testing: targeted 

outreach, alternate venues and social networks. The proportion of individuals newly 
30

identified as HIV-positive did not differ significantly among the three strategies; 

however, the social networks strategy recruited women with greater risk behaviors and 

other characteristics associated with newly identified HIV infection and thus may be 

effective at reaching some high-risk women before they become infected. 

 Launching a Nationwide Campaign to Increase HIV Testing Among Black Women: As 

part of its comprehensive efforts to address the HIV prevention needs of African 

American women and support the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, CDC launched “Take 

Charge. Take the Test.” in March 2012. This national social marketing campaign focuses 

on increasing HIV testing and decreasing HIV infections among Black women ages 18-

34 who have unprotected sex with men. Since the campaign’s launch, it has generated 

the following results (through March 2014): 281,591,445 out-of-home impressions,

including billboards and kiosks; 195,252,960 radio impressions; 3,400,043 internet ad 

impressions; 98,826 attendees at community events; 45,202 campaign materials 

distributed; and 3,536 HIV tests administered at community events. CDC released new 

campaign content in June of 2014 in support of National HIV Testing Day, resulting in 

nearly 700 social media posts on the campaign. 66.1 percent of the total social media 

posts came from Twitter, resulting in campaign messages potentially reaching 

3,805,433 Twitter users. 

Reducing the Number of Confirmed Cases of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission in Washington,

DC to Zero: 2.5 percent of the population in Washington, DC is living with HIV,38 far greater than 

the World Health Organization’s definition of 1 percent as a generalized epidemic. The greatest 

burden of HIV is among Black people, with a rate of 3.9 percent – 2.4 percent for Black women –

and Hispanic women have a rate of 0.5 percent.

39

 In response to this ongoing HIV crisis, D.C. has 

worked across all levels of government, including with the federal government, and collaborated 

with community-based organizations, medical providers, and other key stakeholders to expand 

testing, including among pregnant women. DC has also increased condom distribution, enhanced 

needle exchange efforts, developed a “treatment on demand” program and prioritized an 

evidence-based approach to the epidemic. As a result, DC has made significant progress in 

combatting HIV, especially in the area of mother-to-child transmission: there were no confirmed 

cases of babies born with HIV in DC in 2012. 

c. Maternal and Child Health

Promoting Pre-Conception Health and Health Care: By supporting a national campaign called 

“Show Your Love,” the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) works to improve the 

health of women and babies through promoting preconception health and healthcare. The 

campaign’s main goal is to increase the number of women who plan their pregnancies and 

engage in healthy behaviors before becoming pregnant. The campaign aims to reach women of 

all racial and ethnic backgrounds and includes targeted materials to reach women of color in their 

communities. 
31

Promoting Prenatal Care: In the United States, roughly one in three infant deaths is related to 

preterm birth.40 The 2010 preterm rate was 17.1 percent for Black infants, 13.6 percent for 

American Indian and Alaska Native infants, and 11.8 percent for Hispanic infants as compared 

with 10.8 percent for White infants.41 The federal government supports a number of initiatives 

to promote prenatal care that impact women of color, including the following:

 Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns: Women enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s 

Health Insurance Program are more likely to have higher rates of pregnancy 

complications, poor birth outcomes and preterm birth than privately insured women. The 

Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns initiative is a two-part strategy that tests the 

following: 1) a nationwide public private partnership for reducing the rate of early active 

deliveries before 39 weeks gestation among all pregnant women; and 2) the effectiveness 

of specific enhanced prenatal care approaches to reduce preterm births for high-risk 

women enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP. To understand the impacts of psychosocial 

interventions on pregnancy and birth outcomes, prenatal care providers implemented 

three approaches to enhanced prenatal care – maternity care homes, birth centers, and 

group prenatal care – which expand access and continuity of care, promote care 

coordination, and augment clinical and psycho-social support services and 

resources. These programs serve diverse populations – including Black, Puerto Rican and 

American Indian women – with the highest rates of preterm birth. 

 CHOICES and CHOICES Plus: Prenatal alcohol exposure is a leading preventable cause of 

birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States. Tobacco use also 

confers serious risks for both mothers and developing infants. CDC supported the 

development and dissemination of the CHOICES and CHOICES Plus health interventions 

for preconception women to reduce alcohol- and tobacco-exposed pregnancies. In 

clinical trials conducted in diverse settings including primary healthcare facilities, jails, 

substance abuse treatment centers, and ob/gyn clinics, the CHOICES interventions were 

found to be effective in reducing these risks in more than 60 percent of the women 

served. The majority of women participating in the CHOICES studies were women of 

color, including 10 percent Hispanic and 50 percent non-Hispanic Black women in 

CHOICES and 47 percent Hispanic and 42 percent non-Hispanic Black women in CHOICES 

Plus. Effective and evidence-based, CHOICES interventions are now used nationwide to 

reach a diverse population of women. 

Supporting Evidence-Based Home Visiting Programs: Health Resources and Services 

Administration, in close collaboration with the Administration for Children and Families at HHS, 

works with states to improve health and developmental outcomes for children and families who 

reside in at-risk communities through implementation of voluntary, evidence-based home 

visiting programs. These programs reach pregnant women, expectant fathers, and parents and 

caregivers of children under the age of five. A Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home 

Visiting program provides grants to tribes, tribal organizations and urban Indian organizations to 

develop, implement, and evaluate home visiting programs in American Indian and Alaska Native 

communities. 
32

Promoting Breastfeeding: Although breastfeeding rates among Black women are rising, there 

are still significant disparities between Black women and women of other ethnicities. In response 

to these disparities, the Office on Women’s Health at HHS created the “It’s Only Natural”

communications campaign, which is designed to help new mothers choose to breastfeed and 

encourage them to seek support. This campaign helps Black women and their families 

understand the health benefits of breastfeeding — not just for babies, but for mothers too. The 

campaign’s website includes information on addressing breastfeeding myths, overcoming 

challenges, and finding support, as well as video testimonials from breastfeeding moms. In 

addition, the Affordable Care Act requires reasonable break times and a private place for breast 

pumping for covered employees who are nursing a child for one year after birth. 

Working to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission of Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B disproportionately 

affects AAPIs: while AAPIs make up less than five percent of the U.S. population, they account for 

more than 50 percent of Americans living with Hepatitis B. An estimated 25,000 infants are born 

to Hepatitis B-positive women annually in the United States, and with no intervention, 40 to 90 

percent of these infants will acquire Hepatitis B. CDC provides assistance to identify women 

infected with Hepatitis B, treat their newborns at birth, and provide case management to ensure 

the infants are vaccinated on time and receive post-vaccination testing to see if they have been 

protected against infection. The total amount of funding provided to immunization awardees in 

calendar year 2013 was $17,823,797. CDC also issued recommendations and provided tools for 

providers and hospitals to improve screening and reporting practices.

d. Nutrition and Physical Activity

Providing Nutrition Assistance for Low-Income Women and Children: The Special Supplemental 

Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for 

supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for more than eight million 

low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants, and 

children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. WIC improves the health of 

pregnant women and new mothers and their infants, and due to WIC’s strong breastfeeding 

promotion programs, the proportion of breastfeeding women participating in WIC now exceeds 

that of non-breastfeeding postpartum women. Of the women who participate in WIC, 35.6 

percent are White, 37.7 percent are Hispanic, 19.9 percent are Black, 4.3 percent are AAPI and 

1.7 percent are American Indian/Alaska Native. 

Promoting Physical Activity: First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to address 

childhood obesity impacts children across the country, including many girls of color. Examples 

include Let’s Move! in Indian Country – which works with tribal governments, businesses and 

non-profits to improve the health of Native American youth – and a commitment from Goya, the 

largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, to educate consumers and children 

about healthy eating. In addition, the Up2Us Coach Across America (CAA) program – which is an 

AmeriCorps program funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service – trains and 
33

supports coaches to work within sports-based youth development organizations in largely urban 

and low-income neighborhoods across the country. Approximately 42 percent of the youth with 

whom CAA coaches work are girls of color, and 29 percent of CAA coaches are women of color. 

By providing a highly trained coach who serves as a positive role model, CAA is able to help these 

girls and other youth develop life skills and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Evaluation results show that 

at the end of the program, 92 percent of girls of color reported high competence on a set of life 

skills – including self-awareness, positive identity, situational awareness, future focus, discipline 

and social confidence – and 54 percent of girls of color reported increasing their physical activity 

during program participation. 

e. Research

Supporting Research on Diseases Affecting Women of Color: The federal government supports 

research on a number of diseases that affect women of color. Examples include the following:

 Diabetes Prevention Program: Diabetes is a leading cause of death for women of color. 

A major research study – the Diabetes Prevention Program at NIH – found that lifestyle 

changes and a diabetic medication called metformin (Glucophage) both reduced the 

incidence of persons at risk when compared with a placebo. The study continues as the 

Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study with long-term data collection and 

analyses of outcomes. 

 Study on the Relationship of Breast Cancer Subtype, Ancestry and Risk Factors in 

Hispanic Women: In fiscal year 2012, the Office of Research on Women’s Health at HHS 

provided funds for a Supplement to a National Cancer Institute grant on breast cancer. 

One of the goals of the study is to research risk factors associated with a certain kind of 

tumor more commonly found in Hispanic women compared with non-Hispanic White 

women. The study examines the relationships between molecular tumor subtype, 

individual ancestry and risk factors for breast cancer. 

Working to Ensure that Women and Minorities Are Included as Subjects in Clinical Research: NIH 

has a policy to ensure that women and minorities are included as subjects in clinical research. In 

fiscal year 2012, women comprised 57 percent of enrollment in NIH-funded clinical trials, and 

36.5 percent of participants were from underrepresented groups. 

Publishing the Women of Color Health Data Book, Fourth Edition: Announced in July of 2014, the 

Women of Color Health Data Book, Fourth Edition, is the most up-to-date resource informing 

health care providers and researchers in biomedicine and health policy about the unique health 

features of women of color. This publication presents data on race and ethnicity and disease 

with relevant discussions of historical, cultural and demographic factors that affect the health of 

women of color. It is available at: http://orwh.od.nih.gov/resources/policyreports/pdf/WoCDatabook-FINAL.pdf.
34

Using Data to Assess Health Outcomes: Healthy People 2020 is a long-standing national health 

promotion and disease prevention initiative that uses data to assess health outcomes. Objectives 

that focus specifically on women, girls and minority populations are included throughout Healthy 

People 2020 in topic areas such as Maternal, Infant, and Child Health; Family Planning, Injury and 

Violence Prevention; Heart Disease and Stroke; and others. Data are updated regularly on the 

healthypeople.gov website to reflect the progress being made and to identify where disparities 

continue to exist. 

f. Sexual and Reproductive Health 

Evaluating Efforts to Reduce Risk Behavior Among Female Sex Workers: The purpose of this 

systematic review supported by CDC was to evaluate programs aimed at reducing sexual and

drug-related risk behavior among female sex workers. The female sex workers in the 

interventions included in this review were predominately women of color, including 63 percent 

Black women and 15 percent Hispanic women. Findings indicate that interventions are needed 

to address structural and psychosocial factors that affect these individuals, including mental 

health issues, recovery from victimization and lack of economic resources. Examples of needed 

interventions include substance abuse treatment and long-term support for sobriety; safe 

housing; educational opportunities and job training; pregnancy prevention education and preconception counseling; and HIV, STD and hepatitis risk reduction education. 

Protecting Alaska Native Individuals from Cancer with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 

Vaccine: Since 2006, CDC has been working with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, 

Southcentral Foundation and the State of Alaska to promote and evaluate HPV vaccine use 

among Alaska Native people. This effort includes research to inform development of educational 

materials and promote vaccination, evaluate vaccine response and safety among Alaska Native 

teenagers, and determine the proportion of genital and other cancers that can be prevented 

using the HPV vaccine in the Alaska Native population. 

Improving Access to Comprehensive Family Planning Services: As part of the Health Care 

Innovation Awards, the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Innovation is testing efforts that improve 

the health of populations through prevention, wellness and comprehensive care. One of these 

efforts, the Washington University School of Medicine Contraceptive Center of Excellence, will 

provide access to a highly reliable birth control method – long-acting reversible contraception 

(LARC) – to women at highest risk for unintended pregnancies. Typically, LARC is not readily 

available to low-income women due to relatively higher costs. The program expects to result in 

a 10 percent reduction in unintended pregnancy and a 15 percent reduction in costs related to 

unintended births. The program is expected to serve 10,000 women, of whom an estimated 75 

percent are women of color.

Working to Reduce the Incidence of Congenital Syphilis: The rapid ethnographic assessment 

program at HHS is designed to provide swift insight into health systems issues and 

recommendations for program action. Between 2009 and 2011, the program conducted 
35

independent rapid ethnographic assessments to better understand factors contributing to 

persistent high rates of congenital syphilis in Arizona and Louisiana. In Arizona, providers 

described numerous barriers to health care experienced by Hispanic women immigrants and 

missed opportunities within the health system to screen pregnant women for syphilis. In 

Louisiana, providers identified colleagues’ inexperience with syphilis cases among Black women, 

low Medicaid reimbursement, lack of coverage for treatment, and difficulty obtaining benzathine 

penicillin, which is the recommended treatment for syphilis. These assessments led to 

recommendations to strengthen existing structures and policies.

g. Teen Pregnancy 

Preventing Teen Pregnancy: This Administration supports a number of initiatives to prevent teen 

pregnancy, including the following:

 The President’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative 2010-2015: The purpose of this 

program, funded by the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) at HHS and administered 

through CDC, is to demonstrate the effectiveness of innovative, multicomponent, 

communitywide initiatives in reducing rates of teen pregnancy and births in communities 

with the highest rates, including Black and Hispanic youth ages 15 to 19. Program goals 

are to reduce the rates of pregnancies and births to youth in the target areas; increase 

youth access to evidence-based and evidence-informed programs to prevent teen 

pregnancy; increase linkages between teen pregnancy prevention programs and 

community-based clinical services; educate stakeholders about relevant evidence-based 

and evidence-informed strategies to reduce teen pregnancy; and provide data on needs 

and resources in target communities.

 Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program: OAH funds grants to support the replication of 

evidence-based program models that are medically accurate, age appropriate, and have 

proven through rigorous evaluation to prevent teen pregnancy and/or associated sexual 

risk behaviors. In 2010, OAH awarded $75 million in competitive grants to 75 grantees. 

Grantees have served more than 110,000 young people each year in 37 states and the 

District of Columbia. OAH also provides funding to support research and demonstration 

programs that will develop, replicate, refine and test additional models and innovative 

strategies for preventing teen pregnancy. In 2010, OAH awarded $15 million in 

competitive grants to 18 grantees to implement and rigorously evaluate new programs 

to prevent teen pregnancy for youth ages 10 to 19, with a particular interest in reaching 

high-risk, vulnerable and culturally under-represented youth populations. Grantees 

reach approximately 15,000 youth annually. 

 Personal Responsibility Education Innovative Strategies (PREIS) Grants: Personal 

Responsibility Education Innovative Strategies (PREIS) grants support research and 

demonstration programs that 1) develop, replicate, refine and test new models and 

innovative strategies for preventing adolescent pregnancy, and 2) target services to 
36

identified populations under the Personal Responsibility Education Program. These 

populations include high-risk, vulnerable, and culturally underrepresented youth 

populations, such as youth in foster care, homeless youth, youth with HIV, pregnant 

women or mothers who are under 21 years of age and their partners, and young people 

residing in areas with high youth birth rates.

Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Teens, Women, Fathers and Their Families: Through the 

Affordable Care Act, OAH administers the Pregnancy Assistance Fund, a $25 million competitive 

grant program. This program gives grants to states and tribal entities to provide expectant and 

parenting teens, women, fathers, and their families with a seamless network of supportive

services to help them complete high school or postsecondary degrees and gain access to health 

care, child care, family housing and other critical supports. The funds are also used to improve 

services for pregnant women who are victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking. 

h. Workplace Safety

Protecting Employees in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities: In 2010, nursing and residential 

care facilities – which employ many women of color – experienced one of the highest rates of 

lost workdays due to injuries and illnesses of all major American industries.42 In response, the 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a new program in 2013 to 

increase inspections at nursing homes and residential care facilities. OSHA has also joined with 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to develop a set of new targeted educational 

resources for hospital workers and their employers about safe work practices. In addition, in 

fiscal years 2012 and 2013, OSHA provided over $600,000 in funds to organizations to provide 

education and training to nurses, nursing assistants and other health care workers in the 

identification and prevention of serious job hazards. 

Protecting Employees in Nail Salons: The more than 375,000 nail technicians working in salons 

across the United States – 40 percent of whom are AAPIs – face numerous health hazards every 

day, including exposure to chemicals from glues, polishes, removers and other salon products; 

muscle strains from awkward positions or repetitive motions; and risk of infection from contact 

with client skin, nails and blood. To help protect nail salon employees from these risks, in fiscal 

year 2012, OSHA launched an outreach and education initiative to the hair and nail salon 

industries, including publishing new educational resources and websites on the risk of 

formaldehyde exposure from hair smoothing products and the dangers of muscle strains, 

infectious diseases and chemicals in nail salons. Its publication, Stay Healthy and Safe While 

Giving Manicures and Pedicures: A Guide for Nail Salon Workers, is available in English, Spanish, 

Vietnamese and Korean. In addition, in fiscal years 2012 and 2013, OSHA awarded over $400,000 

to organizations to provide health and safety training and education on the identification and 

prevention of job hazards in the nail salon industry, including chemical and ergonomic hazards. 

The training was offered in multiple languages.
37

4. Violence Against Women

Far too many women in America experience domestic violence and sexual assault, and women in 

some communities of color face particularly high rates of these crimes. An estimated 51.7 percent 

of American Indian/Alaska Native women, 51.3 percent of multiracial women, 41.2 percent of 

non-Hispanic Black women, 30.5 percent of non-Hispanic White women, 29.7 percent of Hispanic 

women and 15.3 percent of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women experience 

physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes.43 An estimated 32.3 percent of 

multiracial women, 27.5 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native women, 21.2 percent of nonHispanic Black women, 20.5 percent of non-Hispanic White women and 13.6 percent of Hispanic 

women are raped during their lifetimes.44 In addition, an estimated 64.1 percent of multiracial 

women, 55.0 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native women, 46.9 percent of non-Hispanic 

White women, 38.2 percent of non-Hispanic Black women, 35.6 percent of Hispanic women and 

31.9 percent of AAPI women experience sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes.45 

And a study by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Statistics of 42 federally funded 

human trafficking task forces found that 94 percent of victims of sex trafficking are female, and 

roughly three quarters are people of color.46

Women and girls of color may also face additional barriers to receiving support and justice. 

Survivors may fear or distrust police, or they may find that service providers do not offer the 

culturally relevant help they need. Many survivors do not report the crime to authorities or seek 

help because of social or geographic isolation, racism, social stigma or language barriers.

In 2010, President Obama and Vice President Biden announced unprecedented coordination 

across the federal government to combat violence against women. A first-of-its-kind interagency 

workgroup was established to bring together federal expertise in justice, social services, women’s 

health, economic advocacy, and other sectors to focus on domestic and sexual violence. As a 

result, federal agencies have developed a host of new initiatives to reach individuals affected by 

domestic and sexual violence, including women of color.47 The Violence Against Women Act 

(VAWA) also directs specific resources to serve marginalized populations and develop culturally 

specific approaches to domestic violence and sexual assault. 

a. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Funding Culturally Specific Programs to Address Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating 

Violence and Stalking: Under VAWA, DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) funds 

grants to provide culturally specific services in communities of color. Through these grants, 

community-based providers partner with domestic violence and sexual assault programs to 

develop services that are relevant and driven by community needs. DOJ funds national training 

and technical assistance efforts through the National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending 

Sexual Assault, the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community, Black 

Women’s Blueprint, Casa de Esperanza, Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence, 

National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, Monsoon United Asian Women of Iowa, and 
38

Asista Immigrant Assistance among others. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 

also funds the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community and the 

National Latin@ Network to advance effective, culturally specific remedies for domestic violence. 

Over the past five years, HHS has provided $43 million in grants to develop these services. 

Working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Prevent Sexual Assault:

Administration initiatives to address sexual violence on campus include the following:

 In 2011 and 2013, OVW funded Black Women’s Blueprint to provide culturally relevant 

training and technical assistance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to

help reduce violence against women on campus. Among other goals, this project seeks 

to build a community among HBCU grantees through peer-to-peer sharing of information 

and resources. 

 Black Women’s Blueprint and the National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual 

Assault are working with OVW to develop a Culturally Specific Bystander Intervention 

Curriculum for HBCU campuses as part of a Comprehensive Primary Prevention Model. 

The goal of this effort is to empower students, faculty, staff and administrators to prevent 

violence against women at HCBUs. To date, this project has received over $800,000 in 

funding. 

 In 2014, President Obama created the White House Task Force to Protect Students from 

Sexual Assault to address the high rates of sexual assault experienced by college students. 

Students and representatives of HBCUs participated in listening sessions at the White 

House with federal agencies and played a key role in making recommendations to the 

Task Force. HBCU alumni associations also contributed to the process. On April 29, 2014, 

the Task Force issued its first report addressing steps schools should take to collect better 

data, develop comprehensive sexual misconduct policies, respond more effectively when 

a student is assaulted, and prevent sexual assault from happening in the first place. The 

Task Force will continue its work with HBCUs and other schools to implement these 

recommendations.

Preventing and Addressing Violence Against Women in Indian Country: The Administration has 

taken unprecedented steps that are helping to combat the high rates of violence experienced by 

Native American women. Efforts to address domestic violence and sexual assault in Indian 

Country include the following:

 Enforcement Efforts: In 2013, President Obama signed the reauthorization of VAWA, 

which included a landmark provision recognizing tribes’ inherent right to prosecute 

people who commit domestic violence in Indian Country, regardless of the perpetrator’s 

status as Indian or non-Indian. Three tribes – the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 

Indian Reservation of Oregon, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, and the Tulalip Tribe of 

Washington – have begun exercising special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction over 

non-Indians as part of a pilot project announced earlier this year. The tribal provisions in 
39

VAWA build upon the foundation of the Tribal Law and Order Act, passed in 2010, which 

strengthens tribal law enforcement and the ability to prosecute and fight crime more 

effectively. Together, these key pieces of legislation are building a better criminal justice 

system, bolstering tribal control and authority, and ultimately saving the lives of Native 

American women. 

 Grants to Tribal Governments and Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault 

Coalitions: Under VAWA, OVW funds grants to tribal governments to help tribes respond 

to violent crimes against Indian women, enhance victim safety and develop education and 

prevention strategies. Since 2009, OVW has distributed more than $217 million to help

tribal communities reduce violent crimes against Indian women, improve services and 

help keep victims safe. Under VAWA, OVW also supports tribal domestic violence and 

sexual assault coalitions to provide education, support and technical assistance to 

member Indian service providers and tribes. Since 2009, OVW has provided over $18 

million in grants to enhance the capacity of tribal organizations and Indian service 

providers to develop culturally appropriate responses to end violence against Indian 

women.

 Federal Advisory Task Force on Violence Against Indian Women: The 2005 

reauthorization of VAWA created an Attorney General-appointed Federal Advisory Task 

Force on Violence Against Indian Women. Task Force members include representatives 

from tribal governments, national tribal domestic and sexual violence nonprofit 

organizations and other national tribal organizations. The Task Force, first convened in 

2008 and managed by OVW, is charged with assisting in the development and 

implementation of the National Institute of Justice national baseline study to examine 

violence against women in Indian country. The study is required to examine domestic 

violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and murder committed against Indian 

women and evaluate the effectiveness of federal, state, tribal and local responses. 

 American Indian/Alaska Native Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Sexual Assault Response 

Team (SANE-SART) Initiative: The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) at DOJ is partnering 

with the FBI’s Office of Victim Assistance and the Indian Health Service to enhance the 

response to tribal victims of sexual violence. The SANE-SART Initiative addresses the 

comprehensive needs of these victims. From the outset of the project in 2010, OVC and 

its federal and tribal partners have focused on building the capacity of tribal communities 

to provide coordinated, community-based, victim-centered responses to sexual 

violence. The five-year project encompasses three demonstration sites and involves 

coordinators at the Indian Health Service and the FBI, training and technical assistance, 

and support from the Attorney General’s federal advisory committee and 

multidisciplinary groups – all committed to institutionalizing sustainable, culturally 

relevant, evidence-based practices to meet the needs of tribal victims of sexual assault.
40

Using Technology to Serve Spanish-Speaking Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault:

OVC made two awards through its “Vision 21: Using Technology to Expand National and 

International Access to Victim Services” initiative, supporting the use of technology to provide 

services to Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. One awardee, the 

National Network to End Domestic Violence’s “Apoyo Tecnológico” (“Technology Help & 

Support”) Project, will expand access to victim services for Spanish-speaking victims by providing 

direct assistance though an e-mail hotline, increasing Spanish language resources on 

WomensLaw.org, and conducting outreach to Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence, 

sexual assault, and stalking and their families, communities and advocates. The other awardee, 

the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), is expanding culturally appropriate crisis 

assistance and referral services in Spanish through the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline; 

developing a database of culturally and linguistically appropriate referrals for in-person longterm support; and utilizing HelpRoom, an online peer support platform for ongoing services. 

Working to Discover Best Practices and Expand Services for Sexual Assault Survivors: Victims of 

sexual assault have contact with a range of professionals, including law enforcement officials, 

prosecutors, court personnel, health and mental health professionals and others. Victims’ 

experiences with representatives from these fields can have a profound effect on their recovery 

and their willingness to engage with the legal, healthcare and social service systems. In 2011, 

OVW launched the Sexual Assault Demonstration Initiative to explore the challenges in reaching 

sexual assault survivors and to assess what tools, service models, and agency structures are best 

equipped to reach more sexual assault survivors with comprehensive quality care. This $2.7 

million initiative funded six sites including the Gila River Indian Community and the New York 

Asian Women’s Center. In addition, over the past five years, the Administration has successfully 

called on Congress to double funding for VAWA’s Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP), the 

first funding stream to focus specifically on rape and sexual assault. SASP provides funding for a 

wide array of services, such as crisis intervention, counseling, rape crisis centers, medical and 

social services, 24-hour sexual assault hotlines and medical and legal advocacy. SASP also 

includes funding for organizations serving culturally specific communities.

Addressing the Intersection of Violence and HIV/AIDS: More than three-quarters of new HIV 

infections in women in the U.S. are among women of color,

48 and 55 percent of women living 

with HIV have experienced intimate partner violence.

49

 In 2012, President Obama issued a 

Presidential Memorandum creating an Interagency Federal Working Group (Working Group) on 

HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Gender-related Health Disparities. Last year, 

the Working Group developed a 56-point action plan bringing federal agencies together to 

improve screening for HIV among women who have experienced violence; improve outcomes for 

women living with HIV; understand factors contributing to increased exposure to violence among 

this population; expand education and prevention efforts; and address research gaps about the 

intersection between HIV/AIDS, violence, and trauma in order to develop and scale up effective 

interventions. The action plan includes specific steps to improve outreach, testing, and health 

outcomes for Black and Hispanic women and girls facing high rates of both violence and HIV/AIDS. 

Examples of action steps include: 
41

 OVW and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing 

Opportunities for People with AIDS program announced a new $1.49 million initiative that 

will award funds to support transitional housing for women living with HIV who are 

experiencing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking. 

 Heath Resources and Services Administration has collaborated with Administration for 

Children and Families to disseminate HIV and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) screening 

and counseling tools to Ryan White programs, Federally Qualified Health Centers, rural 

health programs, maternal and child health programs and National Health Service Corps 

providers.

 The Office of Population Affairs has trained staff from Title X-funded family planning 

clinics about the intersection of HIV/AIDS, IPV, and family planning, and the importance 

of screening for both HIV and IPV. This program increased the numbers of individuals 

who receive both HIV and IPV screening, counseling, and appropriate follow-up care in 

Title X family planning clinics.

Supporting Programs to Prevent Domestic Violence-Related Homicides: The rate of intimate 

partner homicide has dropped significantly since the passage of VAWA, but an average of three 

women a day are still killed by their intimate partners.50 Based on the 75% of female homicides 

in which the relationship of the victim to the offender is known, the rate of Black women killed 

by intimate partners is estimated to be nearly twice that of White women.51 In March of 2013, 

Vice President Biden and Attorney General Holder launched the Domestic Violence Homicide 

Prevention Demonstration Initiative in twelve communities to explore using evidence-based 

tools to identify risk factors and intervene early to connect victims with services. In September 

of 2014, the Attorney General announced phase II of this project to evaluate the effectiveness of 

two promising domestic violence homicide prevention models – the Domestic Violence Lethality 

Assessment Program and the Domestic Violence High Risk Team model. The sites participating 

in phase II are required to adapt tools and develop interventions that are culturally relevant and 

appropriate for their communities and to participate in the evaluation overseen by the National 

Institute of Justice. DOJ is also working with the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African 

American Community, Casa de Esperanza, the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence 

and other experts to support the effective implementation of these tools with culturally specific 

populations.

Working to Reduce Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault: In a recent survey of high school 

students, 11.5 percent of Black girls, 12.2 percent of Hispanic girls and 9.1 percent of White girls 

reported being physically forced to have sexual intercourse.52 Since 2010, DOJ has made 118 

grants totaling more than $45 million to support prevention efforts and victim services for youth 

who have experienced or witnessed dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and 

stalking. These grant funds also support training for professionals and encourage communities 

to engage men as leaders and role models to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 

assault and stalking. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is 
42

currently piloting a teen dating violence prevention program focused on high poverty, high crime 

areas in Baltimore, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale and Oakland. 

Combatting Sexual Assault and Harassment in Schools: In April 2011, the Department of 

Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued groundbreaking guidance to educational 

institutions that receive federal funds on their obligations to respond to sexual violence under 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). Although OCR had previously addressed 

sexual violence at institutions through individual investigations and resolution agreements, this 

was the first time ED issued guidance identifying sexual violence as a civil rights issue. In 2013, 

ED sent a key policy letter from Secretary Duncan to guide Chief State School Officers in their 

efforts to create safer communities by raising public awareness of gender-based violence, 

educating communities about how violence affects women and youths, and encouraging new 

efforts to prevent and respond to violence. In 2014, OCR issued a questions and answers 

document in response to requests from schools and students for further guidance and clarity on 

their obligations under Title IX to address sexual violence as a form of sexual harassment. These 

documents build upon ED’s 2001 guidance about sexual harassment of students by school 

employees, other students, and non-employee third parties, and ED’s 2010 guidance on the steps 

schools must take to prevent and remedy bullying and harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, 

national origin and disability. ED and DOJ are also engaging in enforcement actions to ensure 

that schools are complying with their civil rights obligations to address and respond to sexual 

assault and harassment. 

Expanding Services for Victims of Domestic Violence and Their Children: In December 2010, 

President Obama signed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, which provides funding 

for nearly 1,700 shelters and service programs for victims of domestic violence and their children. 

It also supports the National Domestic Violence Hotline, whose staff answers more than 23,000 

calls each month, linking victims with the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Assisting Victims of Domestic Violence in the Immigration System: VAWA includes protections 

for immigrant victims of crime, including victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and 

trafficking. The Obama Administration fought to maintain these provisions in VAWA 

reauthorization and has taken a number of important steps to further assist victims of domestic 

and sexual violence with respect to immigration and citizenship issues. Examples include the 

following:

 Providing Assistance to Victims: The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Victim 

Assistance Program has 26 full-time Victim Assistance Specialists in its offices across the 

United States, as well as more than 250 collateral-duty Victim Assistance Coordinators. 

The ICE Victim Assistance Program connects victims to community-based groups to 

provide medical, mental health and legal assistance, case management and other 

services. In recognition of the unique challenges of interviewing trafficked minors and 

other child and special-needs victims, ICE’s Forensic Interviewing Program currently 

employs four full-time Forensic Interview Specialists. These specialists are available to 
43

conduct developmentally appropriate, legally defensible, culturally sensitive forensic 

interviews for all ICE investigations, domestically and internationally. 

 Ensuring Enforcement Efforts Do Not Discourage Victims, Witnesses and Plaintiffs From 

Pursuing Justice: In June of 2011, ICE released a policy memo instructing ICE officers, 

special agents, and attorneys to exercise all appropriate prosecutorial discretion to 

minimize any effect that immigration enforcement may have on the willingness and 

ability of victims, witnesses, and plaintiffs to call police and pursue justice.

Preventing, Detecting and Responding to Sexual Abuse and Assault in Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS) Holding Facilities: DHS is committed to protecting the safety and security of all 

individuals in its custody. Building upon substantial safeguards already in place, DHS has 

published regulations and implemented measures to prevent, detect and respond to sexual 

abuse and assault in DHS confinement facilities. 

b. Human Trafficking

Providing Services to Trafficking Survivors: In March of 2012, President Obama directed his 

Cabinet to redouble the Administration’s efforts to combat human trafficking, which afflicts far 

too many communities, both here at home and around the world. In response, the 

Administration has been working across the federal government and with partners in Congress; 

local, state and foreign governments; and civil society to deliver on an ambitious countertrafficking agenda. As part of these efforts, in January of 2014, the Administration released the 

first-ever Government-wide strategic action plan to strengthen services for trafficking victims –

a plan that is comprehensive, action-oriented and designed to address the needs of all victims. 

The plan will improve coordination across federal agencies, expand and support evidence-based 

victim services, and promote culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed services to ensure that all 

victims of human trafficking in the United States are identified and have access to services they 

need to recover and rebuild their lives. Efforts to provide services to trafficking survivors include 

the following:

 Grants to Organizations: DOJ gives grants to organizations that provide an array of 

services to trafficking victims, including intensive case management, medical care, dental 

care, mental health services, sustenance and shelter, translation and interpretation 

services, legal and immigration assistance, transportation and other services. In fiscal year 

2013, $4,711,493 worth of grants were allocated through this program.

 Enhanced Health Care System Responses: Recognizing that trafficking victims often move 

through the healthcare system while seeking treatment for injuries or medical conditions 

resulting from trafficking, HHS launched a national initiative to strengthen screening, 

increase training, and develop service protocols for healthcare workers to better identify 

trafficking victims and provide assistance. 
44

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Trainings: USCIS conducts numerous 

in-person and web-based trainings and presentations in cities and regions across the 

United States on combating human trafficking and on immigration relief options for 

victims, which allow them to access needed services; obtain legal employment; and assist 

with any federal, state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement investigation and 

prosecution. Participants include federal, state, and local law enforcement, NGOs, 

immigration advocates, attorneys, judges and others.

 Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking: DOJ gives grants to 

support anti-trafficking task forces through which local law enforcement agencies 

coordinate with victim services providers and U.S. Attorney’s Offices to address all forms 

of human trafficking. In fiscal year 2013, $6,499,931 worth of grants were allocated 

through this program. 

Prosecuting Human Trafficking: In 2011, the Administration formed the Anti-Trafficking 

Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative – an interagency collaboration among DOJ, DHS and the 

Department of Labor (DOL) – to streamline federal criminal investigations and prosecutions of 

human trafficking offenses. In addition, over the past four years, DOJ has increased the number 

of human trafficking prosecutions by more than 38 percent in forced labor and adult sex 

trafficking cases, while also increasing the number of convictions in child sex trafficking cases by 

30 percent.

Raising Awareness About Human Trafficking: The federal government has supported efforts to 

raise awareness about human trafficking, including:

 Human Trafficking in America’s Schools: To help schools address human trafficking, the 

Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Safe and Healthy Students (OSHS) plans to 

supplement its existing factsheets by publishing a guide, Human Trafficking in America's 

Schools. The guide was developed to help school officials understand how human 

trafficking impacts schools; recognize the indicators of possible child trafficking; and 

develop policies, protocols, and partnerships to address and prevent the exploitation of 

children. This document builds upon related resources developed by OSHS to address 

and prevent sexual assault and violence, including a teen dating violence factsheet for 

schools and Secretary Duncan’s letter to Chief State School Officers on teen dating and 

gender-based violence. 

 The DHS Blue Campaign: This comprehensive campaign has developed, and continues to

refine, its outreach materials targeted to a wide range of audiences, including materials 

specifically addressing the trafficking of women and girls of color. These materials raise 

awareness about human trafficking and educate communities about indicators of human 

trafficking and resources available to support investigations and protect victims.

 Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT): The Department of 

Transportation (DOT) has led the development of TLAH, which now includes more than 
45

90 transportation organizations working to put an end to human trafficking in the United 

States and around the world. In addition, in 2013, all DOT employees participated in a 

training to learn the signs of potential trafficking. DOT has also worked closely with DHS 

to launch the Blue Lightening initiative with Amtrak, Delta, JetBlue and others. 

Strengthening Protections Against Human Trafficking in Federal Contracting: To strengthen the 

U.S. Government’s existing zero-tolerance policy on human trafficking in government 

contracting, in September of 2012, President Obama issued Executive Order 13627, which 

outlines prohibitions on trafficking-related activities for federal contractors and subcontractors, 

requires compliance measures for large overseas contracts and subcontracts, and provides 

federal agencies with additional tools to foster compliance. The White House Office of 

Management and Budget and the Departments of State and Labor are supporting a project to 

identify areas of greatest risk of trafficking both in global supply chains and for U.S. federal 

contracts; develop tools to help government contractors and agencies understand and analyze 

the potential risk of trafficking in corporate supply chains; and help agencies implement controls 

and training to improve monitoring and compliance to prevent trafficking. 

Using Big Data to Combat Human Trafficking: Recently, advanced web tools developed by 

DARPA’s (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Memex program have helped federal law 

enforcement make substantial progress in identifying human trafficking networks in the United 

States. These tools comb the “surface web” we all know, as well as “deep web” pages that are 

also public but not indexed by commonly used search engines. By allowing searches across a 

wide range of websites, the tools uncover a wealth of information that might otherwise be 

difficult or time-intensive to obtain. Possible trafficking rings can be identified and crossreferenced with existing law enforcement databases, helping police officers map connections 

between sex trafficking and other illegal activity. Already, the tools have helped detect trafficking 

networks originating in Asia and spreading to several U.S. cities. 
46

5. Criminal and Juvenile Justice

Women and girls of color are still overrepresented in the criminal justice system. While 

incarceration rates for Black women have fallen by nearly 44 percent since 2010, rates for 

Hispanic women have risen slightly.53 And while White women comprise 49 percent of the prison 

population, and Black and Hispanic women comprise only 22 percent and 17 percent respectively, 

the incarceration rate for Black women is twice as high, and for Hispanic women is nearly one and 

a half times as high, as the rate for White women.54 Other women of color, including Native 

American women and women of more than one race, are nearly twice as likely to be imprisoned 

as White women.55 

In recent years, girls have become more likely than ever before to be involved in the juvenile justice 

system, and while residential placement rates for girls of color are 86 percent lower than for boys 

of color, black girls are three times more likely, Hispanic girls are 20 percent more likely, and 

Native American girls are nearly five times more likely to be held in residential placement than 

White girls.56 Girls most often enter the system as a result of repeat status offenses – acts that 

are only illegal when committed by minors, such as truancy, underage drinking, or curfew 

violations – or violations of probation conditions associated with status offenses. 

Women and girls in the justice system are likely to have experienced homelessness; family 

instability; school failure; and sexual, physical and emotional violence. A recent study also found 

that women in jails have high rates of mental health conditions, with a majority of participants 

meeting the diagnostic criteria for serious mental illness, lifetime post-traumatic stress disorder, 

and/or substance use disorder. The study also found that trauma and mental illness were 

associated with the onset of criminal behavior.

57

Improving the Juvenile Justice System’s Response to Girls: Supporting the needs of girls in the 

juvenile justice system means recognizing girls’ unique pathways into the system, addressing 

their specific needs through gendered approaches, and holding systems charged with their care 

accountable. Examples of Administration efforts include the following:

 Girls in the Juvenile Justice System Program: This program, run by the Department of 

Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention (OJJDP), funds 

community-based prevention and diversion programs that propose to use evidencebased strategies targeting the special needs of status-offending girls at risk of becoming 

involved – or currently involved – in the juvenile justice system. One such initiative is the 

National Girls Institute (NGI), which works with girls’ alliances and coalitions, states, and 

national experts to actively address the needs of girls who encounter the juvenile justice 

system. Through NGI, OJJDP has hosted educational roundtables across professions to 

build a strong intergenerational network of advocates and practitioners committed to 

working on behalf of girls. NGI is also developing a toolkit for state, tribal, and local 

organizations wishing to develop a comprehensive program for at-risk and systeminvolved girls. The toolkit will include gender-responsive assessment tools, staff training 

curricula, talking points for raising public awareness, factsheets for professional and 
47

stakeholder groups and other resources. NGI received $776,000 in funding in fiscal year 

2014. 

 Grants to Prevent Victimization and Delinquency Among Native American Girls: OJJDP 

provides grants to programs that help prevent victimization and delinquency among 

Native American girls. These programs provide Native American girls with culturally 

appropriate skills needed to resist substance abuse, prevent teen pregnancy, combat

sexual abuse, foster positive relationships with peers and adults and learn selfadvocacy. For example, the Osage Nation Prevention Program Intervention for Tribal 

Youth (ON Program) is designed to increase understanding about the needs of Osage girls 

through assessments and community focus groups; increase peer mentoring through 

recruitment and training of adult female mentors to work with girls ages 12 to 17; and 

increase by 25 percent mother-daughter participation in activities promoting healthy 

relationships.

 Support for the PACE Center for Girls: The Social Innovation Fund – a White House 

initiative and program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) –

supports the PACE Center for Girls, a gender-responsive prevention, early intervention 

and education program in non-residential centers in 17 Florida counties through the Edna 

McConnell Clark Foundation. PACE focuses on middle and high school girls involved in, 

or at risk of becoming involved in, the juvenile justice system. Comprehensive case 

management, counseling and therapeutic treatment, a life skills management curriculum, 

and a full course of core academic subjects help troubled young women gain the 

knowledge and skills to stay out of the juvenile justice system and lead successful lives. 

Funds from CNCS and the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation are currently supporting a 

randomized controlled trial to test the impact of PACE.

Combatting Gang Culture: In gangs, sexual violence is often used as a weapon to victimize young 

women, and young women and girls of color are among the populations at highest risk. 

Established at the direction of President Obama in 2010, the National Forum on Youth Violence 

Prevention is a network of communities and federal agencies that work together to share 

information and build local capacity to prevent and reduce youth violence. The Forum, along 

with the Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Safe and Healthy Students, works with ten 

cities to identify trends and patterns that could prevent violence and other risky behaviors and 

to support the cities’ efforts to improve school safety and climate. Participating localities include 

Boston, Camden, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Salinas 

and San Jose. In addition, DOJ awarded a grant to the National Council on Crime & Delinquency 

to examine the individual, family, and community factors that keep girls from becoming involved 

in gangs and gang-related crime. This study will help close the knowledge gap on girls’ 

involvement in gangs and will inform evidence-based intervention strategies that are genderspecific and based on girls’ motivations for gang involvement. 
48

Revising Charging Policies for Low-Level, Non-Violent Drug Offenders: 53 percent of women in 

federal prison have been convicted of drug crimes as their primary offense, including 38 percent

of Black women, 42 percent of Native American women and 42 percent of Asian American and 

Pacific Islander women. In August of 2013, Attorney General Holder announced DOJ’s new Smart 

on Crime Initiative, which includes a series of changes to strengthen the federal criminal justice 

system; address problems and inefficiencies within that system; and make the system smarter, 

fairer, and more effective for everyone in this country. Among those changes was the Attorney 

General's decision to modify federal charging policies to provide that certain low-level, 

nonviolent drug offenders without ties to large-scale organizations, gangs, or cartels will no 

longer be charged with offenses that impose mandatory minimum sentences.

Supporting Incarcerated Mothers: Within the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), women of color58

comprise 29.5 percent of the total population of female inmates, and women of Hispanic

ethnicity (who are included within multiple racial categories) constitute 31 percent of all female 

inmates.59 Approximately 56 percent of all federal female inmates are mothers.60 Efforts to 

support incarcerated mothers include the following:

 Universal Children’s Day: In December of 2013, the BOP held its first ever Universal 

Children’s Day, and nearly 8,500 children visited more than 4,000 federal inmates. This 

event is now an annual event at all BOP facilities and provides an opportunity for parents 

to strengthen their parenting skills and foster positive parent-child interactions.

 Mothers and Infants Nursing Together (MINT): The BOP offers a community residential 

program called Mothers and Infants Nurturing Together (MINT) for women who are 

pregnant at the time of commitment. The MINT program is based in residential reentry

centers and promotes bonding and enhanced parenting skills for low-risk female inmates 

by providing these mothers with at least three months to bond with their newborn child 

before returning to an institution to complete their sentences. Women who participate 

in this program participate in pre- and post-natal classes on such topics as childbirth, 

parenting, and coping skills. In addition to services specifically related to parenting, MINT 

sites also offer chemical dependency treatment, physical and sexual abuse counseling, 

budgeting classes, and vocational and educational programs.

 Video-Visiting with Children: BOP has partnered with Hope House, a non-profit 

organization in Washington, DC, to offer mothers incarcerated within the Secure Federal 

Facility in Hazelton, West Virginia, an opportunity to meet with their children bi-weekly 

through a video feed directly to the prison. In addition, in early 2015, the BOP will launch 

a pilot program to test video-visiting; the pilot will begin with a women’s institution and, 

if successful, will be extended to all BOP institutions nationwide.

Protecting the Civil Rights of Incarcerated Individuals: DOJ’s Civil Rights Division enforces laws 

regarding the civil rights of people who are incarcerated, protecting prisoners from abuse by staff 

and by other prisoners, ensuring that prisoners have access to adequate medical and mental 

health care, and providing for environmental health and safety. If a pattern or practice of 
49

unlawful conditions deprives individuals confined in facilities of their constitutional or federal 

statutory rights, the Division can take action pursuant to the Civil Rights for Institutionalized 

Persons Act (CRIPA). In addition, the Division can address the conditions of confinement for 

juveniles pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. § 

14141). At the end of fiscal year 2013, the Division had active CRIPA and 14141 matters and cases 

in 93 facilities in 25 states, district and territories. These matters involved investigations to 

address patterns or practices of failing to protect women prisoners from sexual assault; issues 

with access to medical, mental health and educational services; and the abuse of solitary 

confinement in prisons, including those housing women and girls.

 
50

Endnotes

1 National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/.

2

Ibid., http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/tables/dt11_116.asp.

3

Ibid., http:/nces.ed.gov/ccd/tables/AFGR.asp.

4

Ibid., http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_326.10.asp.

5 Civil Rights Data Collection, United States Department of Education, http://ocrdata.ed.gov.

6

Ibid.

7

“Generation STEM: What Girls Say About Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math,” Girl Scout 

Research Institute, 2012.

8

“Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering,” National Center for 

Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science Foundation, 2013, 

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/start.cfm.

9

Ibid. 

10“Teen Birth Rates Drop, But Disparities Persist,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June, 

2014, http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsteenpregnancy/.

11 ”The Next Generation of Title IX: Athletics,” National Women’s Law Center, June, 2012, 

http://www.nwlc.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/nwlcathletics_titleixfactsheet.pdf.

12 “The 2013 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report,” American Express OPEN, 2013, 

https://c401345.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/13ADV-WBI-EStateOfWomenReport_FINAL.pdf.

13 Current Population Survey (2010-2014), U.S. Census Bureau.

14 Calculations of the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), 2011 Leave Module, Council of Economic 

Advisers, The White House. 

15 Current Population Survey (2014), U.S. Census Bureau.

16 Current Population Survey (2014), U.S. Census Bureau.

17 Current Population Survey (2014), U.S. Census Bureau.

18 Current Population Survey (2014), U.S. Census Bureau.

 
51

 

19 “Consumer Fraud in the United States, 2011, The Third FTC Survey, Staff Report of the Bureau of 

Economics,” Federal Trade Commission, April, 2013, p. 49, 

http://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/reports/consumer-fraud-united-states-2011-thirdftc-survey/130419fraudsurvey_0.pdf.

20 The numbers in this section are derived from Agency records that are submitted by the Agency's 

participant lenders engaged in making SBA guaranteed loans. This information is collected by the 

lenders from SBA loan applicants who provide it on a voluntary basis, so it is not necessarily inclusive of 

all SBA borrowers or complete.

21 Fargo J, Metraux S, Byrne T, Munley E, Montgomery AE, Jones H, et al., “Prevalence and Risk of 

Homelessness Among US Veterans,” Preventing Chronic Disease, 2012, 

http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.110112.

22 Herbst, Chris M. and Tekin, Erdal, “Do Child Care Subsidies Influence Single Mothers’ Decision to 

Invest in Human Capital?” Economics of Education Review, March 10, 2011, 

http://www.chrisherbst.net/files/Download/C._Herbst_Subsidies_Human_Capital.pdf

23 Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.pdf.

24

“Women in Construction: Still Breaking Ground,” National Women’s Law Center, 2014, 

http://www.nwlc.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/final_nwlc_womeninconstruction_report.pdf

25 Current Population Survey (2012), U.S. Census Bureau.

26 “Fact Sheet: Opportunity for All: Securing a Dignified Retirement for All Americans,” The White House, 

January, 2014, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/28/fact-sheet-opportunity-allsecuring-dignified-retirement-all-americans.

27 Ibid.

28 Martin, Joyce A. et al, “Births: Final Data for 2010,” National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 61, No. 1, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August, 2012, p. 5, 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_01.pdf.

29 “Teen Birth Rates Drop, But Disparities Persist,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June, 

2014, http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsteenpregnancy/.

30 “Factsheet: New HIV Infections in the United States,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

2012, http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/2012/hiv-infections-2007-2010.pdf.

31 “HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2011,” 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013, 

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/statistics_2011_HIV_Surveillance_Report_vol_23.pdf.

32 “CDC Factsheet: HIV and AIDS Among Latinos,” October, 2014, 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/CDC-HIV-Latinos-508.pdf.
52

 

33 “Child Health USA 2013,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and 

Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, p. 11, 

http://mchb.hrsa.gov/chusa13/perinatal-health-status-indicators/pdf/imortality.pdf

34

 Ibid., p. 13. 

35 “Breast Cancer Screening Rates,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, November, 2012, 

www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/screening.htm; “Cervical Cancer Screening Rates,” Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, June 2014, www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/statistics/screening.htm.

36 Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, Garshell J, Miller D, Altekruse SF, Kosary CL, Yu M, Ruhl J, 

Tatalovich Z, Mariotto A, Lewis DR, Chen HS, Feuer EJ, Cronin KA (eds), “SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 

1975-2011,” National Cancer Institute, April, 2014, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2011/.

37 Kochanek KD, Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Miniño AM, Kung HC, “Deaths: Final Data for 2009,” National Vital 

Statistics Reports, 2011, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr60/nvsr60_03.pdf.

38 “Annual Epidemiology & Surveillance Report: Surveillance Data Through 2012,” District of Columbia 

Department of Health, 

http://doh.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/doh/publication/attachments/2013%20Annual%20Report

%20FINAL-2.pdf.

39 Ibid.

40 Martin J, Osterman M, “Preterm Births – United States, 2006 and 2010,” Morbidity and Mortality 

Weekly Report, November 22, 2013, pps. 136-138.

41 Ibid.

42 “Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (Annual) News Release,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States 

Department of Labor, October 20, 2011, 

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/osh_10202011.htm.

43 Breiding MJ et al., “Prevalence and Characteristics of Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Intimate Partner 

Violence Victimization – National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, United States, 2011,” 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014.

44 Ibid.

45 Ibid.

46 Banks D, Kyckelhahn T, “Characteristics of Suspected Human Trafficking Incidents, 2008-2010,” Bureau 

of Justice Statistics, April, 2011.

47 For a full discussion of the Obama Administration’s efforts to prevent violence against women, see 

“Rape and Sexual Assault: A Renewed Call to Action” and “1 is 2 Many: Twenty Years of Fighting 
53

 

Violence Against Women,” 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/sexual_assault_report_1-21-14.pdf.

48 “HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2011,” 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013, 

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/statistics_2011_HIV_Surveillance_Report_vol_23.pdf.

49Machtinger, EL et al., “Psychological Trauma and PTSD in HIV-Positive Women: A Meta Analysis,” AIDS 

Behavior, 2012.

50 Catalano S et al, “Female Victims of Violence,” Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice, 

September, 2009.

51 Findings are based on unpublished analyses provided by the Bureau of Justice Statistics of homicide 

data from the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports, 2007-2012.

52 “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance – United States, 2013,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June 13, 2014, 

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6304.pdf.

53 Prisoners in 2010/2011/2012/2013, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2230, 

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4559, 

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4842, 

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5109.

54 Ibid.

56 “Easy Access to the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement: 1997-2011,” 

http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezacjrp/.

57 Lynch S, DeHart D, Belknap J, Green B, “Women’s Pathways to Jail: The Roles and Intersections of 

Serious Mental Illness and Trauma,” U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2012.

58 Including Black, Native American and AAPI women. BOP does not enumerate Hispanic as a racial 

category. As a result, women of Hispanic origin are included in the counts for White and Black inmates 

and inmates of other races. 

59 Data obtained from Bureau of Prisons, October 25, 2014.

60 Glaze L, Maruschak L, “Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children,” Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009, 

http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/pptmc.pdf.