BUFFALO, N.Y. — On this International Women's Day, 2 On Your Side is highlighting the work of the Western New York Women's Foundation, which fights for policies and programs that support women.
The group points out gender inequity in pay, and the lack of affordable child care as two big issues that they're working on.
"There's pervasive gender inequities despite the fact that women are 54-percent of the population, they hold more of the medical, law degrees, they are more of the essential work and hospitality, tourism and retail, but there's still these gender inequities that have, you know, pay for example is really significant. Women don't earn what white males earn. The access to child care that's affordable, or child care providers who are the third lowest paid occupation in the state. So we continue to have these kind of pervasive gender inequities and we hope today, and every day, to be elevating those issues," says Sheri Scavone, CEO of the WNY Women's Foundation.
Friday afternoon, we spoke with the organizations CEO about the work being done every day to achieve those goals.
"Everything we do is data-informed. For instance, this morning we were part of a press conference that talked about the impact of not having affordable accessible childcare for women, and women's ability to work, and work in paid jobs outside the home. So we are constantly trying to elevate that through our voice. We are very active in our advocacy work in elevating legislation, driving policy, changing minds of stakeholders, increasing, trying to increase political wills to drive solutions for childcare, for pay equity, for paid family leave, for equal rights," said Sheri Scavone.
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