Working women earn 74 cents to every dollar earned by men. What is more troubling is that the more education a woman has, the wider the wage gap. Families with a female head of household have the highest poverty rate and comprise the majority of poor families. Increasing the number of women in these fields begins with encouraging girls' interest and awareness in school. As our population ages, we must also address the special challenges of older women.
Women live an average of six years longer than men.
Consequently, their reduced pay is even more detrimental given their increased life expectancy as they are forced to live on less money for a longer period of time. In addition, more women over age 65 tend to live alone at a time when illness and accidents due to decreased mobility are more likely. For these women, it is imperative that we guarantee that Social Security and Medicare remain solvent for future generations. I believe we should use this month as an opportunity to reflect not only on the achievements and challenges of American women, but to recognize those of women internationally. We must broaden access to education, the political process, and reproductive health globally so that girls and women everywhere can maximize their options.