‘It is time for change.’ Report reveals disparities black women face in Mississippi.
Mississippi women and girls struggle to earn fair wages, access healthcare and affordable childcare, according to a new study.
The report by the MS Black Women’s Roundtable (MS-BWR) and the National Women’s Law Center stated that these issues are even more prevalent among black women and girls.
“We must move this issue beyond politics and embrace doing what is right by our daughters, mothers, wives and for our state... It is time for change in Mississippi,” said Cassandra Welchlin, co-convener/leader organizer for the MS-BWR.
The study revealed that women make up 49% of Mississippi’s workforce and two-thirds of minimum wage workers in the state.
Black women in the state make 56 cents to every dollar made by a white man, according to the report.
“We are not only undercutting our families and businesses, but also our state’s overall economy,” Welchlin said.
Black women are also more likely to experience sexual harassment at work, according to the report. The number of sexual harassment charges filed by black women is three-times the number filed by white women.
Not only do these disparities affect women, but their children as well.
According to the report, a single mother in Mississippi makes a median of $26,305.
A woman making that number annually would have to spend nearly 40% of her income in childcare, as only 10% of Mississippi children are eligible for child care assistance.
In the classroom, black girls are suspended from school almost five-times more than white girls, and are more likely to experience a school-related arrest. Those included in the report believe black girls are being pushed out of the classroom.
The report lists solutions for the mentioned issues, like raising minimum wage to $15/hr, passing equal pay legislation and creating new sexual harassment policies to protect workers and hold the accused accountable.
They also called for lawmakers to remove discipline policies that make students miss school.
“By embracing these recommendations, our state can make real positive impact on the economic security of our women and girls,” said Welchlin.
The numbers mentioned in the report come from the Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative. In 2016, the organization held a series of town halls on these issues, which led to extensive research on the topics, according to the report.
This story was originally published October 7, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
