2010 Position Statements
A. The North Dakota Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women has long served as a positive tool for women of North Dakota by making policy recommendations for women’s economic advancements, and raising awareness on economic issues facing women of North Dakota. Currently the Commission on the Status of Women is inactive, therefore NDWN advocates:
• Reactivation of the Commission through full appointment of all open positions on the Commission;
• Quarterly meetings of the Commission;
• Funding of the Commission through the Governor’s Office; and
• The Commission reflects the Governor’s interest in women’s issues.
B. Women represent only 17.7% of North Dakota state legislators (Fargo Forum, November 26, 2006). To achieve a balance in our representative government, NDWN supports an increase in women’s political participation and advocates:
• Campaign finance reform policies that set an equitable political stage;
• Recruitment of female candidates by political parties and other organizations;
• Fair and equal media treatment for male and female candidates; and
• Policies that level the field for women candidates and office holders.
C. Women’s earnings are consistently lower than men’s earnings in North Dakota (US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 2003d). NDWN seeks to achieve economic self-sufficiency for all women and advocates:
• Enforcement of equal opportunity and employment laws;
• An increase in resources to equal opportunity offices to help resolve complaints more quickly;
• Increased awareness among women of their employment rights;
• Equality in compensation, lending and borrowing;
• Equitable access and advancement in employment;
• Greater availability of and access to quality, affordable dependent care;
• Programs that provide women with education, training, and support for success in the work force, including nontraditional occupations; and
• Social Security and Medicare reform that guarantees improved retirement security for women.
D. A women’s right to choose and access to affordable birth control are under constant threat in North Dakota (Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 2004). To preserve women’s reproductive justice, NDWN seeks to advance women’s reproduction health and advocates:
• Ensuring reproductive choice, comprehensive birthing options, and full access to all reproductive health services and education;
• Challenges to incrimination, prosecution, and/or penalizing pregnant women for what would otherwise be treated as health issues;
• The advancement and implementation of comprehensive sex education in school systems; and
• Increased funding for research into and protections for women's health care needs.
E. Women’s health status is not adequately and equitably addressed, particularly among Native American women (National Center for Health Statistics, 2003). NDWN seeks to improve all women’s health and well-being and advocates:
• For the development of a health care plan recognizing the special health care needs of women;
• Expanded public health programs to reach a wider range of at-risk and uninsured women; and
• Increased investment in targeted health prevention and treatment, especially among Native American women.
F. Only 25% of women have four-year degrees or higher compared with 29% of men (US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 2003d). NDWN supports a strong system of public education that promotes advanced education for women of all ages, race, and class and advocates:
• Adequate and equitable funding for quality public education for all students;
• Opposition to the use of public funds for nonpublic elementary and secondary education;
• Vigorous enforcement of Title IX;
• Protection of programs that meet the needs of girls in elementary and secondary education;
• Increased support for women’s involvement in nontraditional educational programs; and
• Increased support for, and access to, higher education for women and other disadvantaged populations.
G. In 2006, there were at least 5,285 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in North Dakota (ND Council on Abused Women’s Services, 2006). Additionally, more than one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes (Amnesty International, 2007). NDWN supports efforts to provide intervention and prevention of violence against women and advocates:
• Freedom from violence and fear of violence in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities;
• Support for programs that work to prevent violence;
• Support for community programs that provide services to women who experience violence; and
• Strengthening enforcement of criminal and civil laws to protect women and hold violent offenders accountable.
H. Women in North Dakota often experience discrimination based on gender (including sexual harassment) as well as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status and other demographics that are beneficial for a strong and diverse society (Women at Work, American Association of University Women, 2003). NDWN encourages a guarantee for equality, individual rights, and social justice for all members of North Dakota society and advocates:
• Support for programs that work to prevent violence;
• Support for community programs that provide services to women who experience violence; and
• Strengthening enforcement of criminal and civil laws to protect women and hold violent offenders accountable.
H. Women in North Dakota often experience discrimination based on gender (including sexual harassment) as well as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status and other demographics that are beneficial for a strong and diverse society (Women at Work, American Association of University Women, 2003). NDWN encourages a guarantee for equality, individual rights, and social justice for all members of North Dakota society and advocates:
• Vigorous protection of and full access to civil and constitutional rights; and
• Full ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in every state, which has been done in North Dakota.
