|
Press Releases
|
National Women's Equality Day Puts Focus on Child Care Needs |
Washington, D.C. Thirty-three years ago Congress declared August 26th National Women's Equality Day, a day to remember the struggle and eventual success of women in gaining the right to vote. Yet during the 2000 presidential election only 61 percent of eligible women went to the voting booth, which is why the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) urges all women to exercise their hard-fought right to vote and to use that power to hold politicians accountable for improving the lives of children.
In recognition of National Women's Equality Day 2004, CDF is highlighting the child care crisis that so many American families currently face. For moderate- and low-income mothers, juggling work and paying for child care can be prohibitively expensive, which is why it is imperative that our nation ensure the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is fully funded and all eligible children are served. The CCDBG offers relief to women and families who are working hard but struggling to make ends meet by providing the affordable, dependable, quality child care assistance they need.
"In this wealthy nation, it is a great tragedy that a woman working 40 hours a week earning a minimum wage salary is still unable to afford child care," said Marian Wright Edelman, president and founder of CDF. "This is not an either/or proposition. As women continue to join the workforce and move up the economic ladder, child care assistance must be a priority."
In 2002, 64 percent of mothers with children under age six and 78 percent of mothers with children ages six to 17 were in the labor force. One out of four families with young children earns less than $25,000 annually, and a family with both parents working full-time at the minimum wage earns only $21,400 each year. These wages are not enough to afford child care, which can cost more than a year's college tuition.
Presently, only one in seven children eligible for federal child care assistance actually receives it. In fiscal year 2002, CCDBG served more than two million children from low-income families, far short of the 15.7 million children who were eligible. With a sluggish economy and large state budget deficits, additional federal investments in programs such as CCDBG are more important than ever. "The coming months will be critical to determining the course that government at the local, state, and federal levels will take in addressing children's issues," said Edelman. "It is vital that women understand how they can make a difference on policy matters like child care that affect their daily lives. That is why on National Women's Equality Day, I am urging women who care about our country and our children to vote. Your action or inaction will determine whether our government's policies support or hinder wage-earning women. Children can't vote. You can."
# # #
For additional information about child care, please visit the Early Childhood Development section of our Web site.
# # #
The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds. |
