The following article by Kate Bahn, Adriana Kugler, Melissa Mahoney, Danielle Corley and Annie McGrew was posted on the Center for American Progress website November 21, 2017:
Overview
Reproductive health care access is inextricably linked to labor market opportunity for women, and bodily autonomy and economic empowerment are mutually reinforcing.
Introduction and summary
Economic opportunity is a central tenet of the American dream and a mainstay of American political discourse. But when embracing this core economic aspiration, the ways in which people’s complex lives affect their ability to fully engage in the economy are often overlooked . The Center for American Progress report, “The Pillars of Equity: A Vision for Economic Security and Reproductive Justice,”1 explored the diverse factors that affect the ability of women to determine the level and nature of their participation in the labor force and the economy. The report concluded, “Women’s economic contributions often depend on having access to comprehensive reproductive health services, as well as to education, jobs with livable wages, and workplace supports.” Understanding the connections between these economic and health issues is particularly important when determining the mix of policies necessary to place women on firm economic ground, as well as to empower women to make the decisions that make sense for them. Such analysis also requires moving beyond the issue silos that often isolate discussions about the economy, health care, and employment, as well as digging deeper into the growing body of research that reveals how these issues mutually reinforce each other.
Continue reading “Linking Reproductive Health Care Access to Labor Market Opportunities for Women”