Economic Justice

A fundamental goal of CA NOW is to ensure economic justice for women of all socio-economic backgrounds.

We are committed to supporting women, children and families as they move up and out of the poverty cycle. We advocate for the needs of women and families in state and federal budget allocations, and the public policies that affect their economic status.  We fight for women's rights in the workplace including the right to unionize. We want women to gain pay equity, break through the glass ceiling, combat job discrimination and maternal profiling, succeed in owning their own businesses, plan for their retirement, and have the choice to be a stay-at-home mom without suffering economic hardship.  In addition, CA NOW advocates for increased educational opportunities and access to child care in welfare reform and social security equity reform.

This committee originally began as the Welfare to Work through Education committee in 2005 as a result of this resolution:

WHEREAS, long-term economic change for families is positively impacted through higher education,

WHEREAS, as of December 1, 2004, Senate Bill 1104 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review Budget Act 2004: Human Services) allows for Welfare To Work (WtW) recipients to pursue post secondary education up to the 5 years/60 months of eligibility.

WHEREAS, CA NOW has a long history of supporting progressive welfare reform

THEREFORE, be it resolved that CA NOW lobby major decision makers in the California State University (CSU), University of California (UC) and California Community College systems to identify campus based programs and services for CalWORKS recipients which support the implementation of the Welfare to Work (WtW) guidelines.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, CA NOW partner with other community based organizations focused on welfare/low-income issues and advocacy; to create an outreach program for low-income issues and advocacy, seeking resources needed to effectively implement this legislation.

In renaming it the Economic Justice committee we hope to better address all of the economic issues facing women today. We believe that for women to have true equality they must have access to the resources and support needed to attain economic independence. 

For more information contact Pat Davis