The new financial regulatory overhaul is designed to protect consumers, but a 2005 bankruptcy law that can be particularly impoverishing for divorced women has been left intact.
Welfare caseloads have dropped steeply in recent decades, but some applicants in the South Bronx–one of the poorest communities in the country–say that’s not a sign of winning the battle over poverty. It’s about applicants feeling discouraged and disrespected in the waiting room.
Health reform promised to extend Medicaid to numerous childless women. But with states struggling to balance their budgets, women’s advocates fear a scaling back. They say it’s crucial for Congress to authorize more funds in coming weeks.
The Bush administration pushed marriage as a panacea for fighting poverty but a recent government study confirms the view of skeptics who say money problems must be solved first, since they destroy and destabilize relationships.
Medical debts send far more women than men into poverty and keep them there. If health reform is to offer any aid, it will have to provide women not just more health insurance, but comprehensive coverage as well.
The Patsy Takemoto Mink Fellowship each year extends grants of $2,000 to assist low-income women to achieve an educational objective. Brittney Ferara used the money to rent an apartment, where she now has a safe, quiet place to study.
The Kentucky Domestic Violence Association’s microloans are truly micro; between just $200 and $800. But they are interest-free and monitored by Experian and TransUnion, giving borrowers a chance to build their credit profile in the process.
A gender-mindful approach should fuel the discourse and agenda at the World Economic Forum, which starts today in Davos, Switzerland, says Roxanne Mankin Cason. This change is possible, as there are people at the forum qualified to lead a new conversation.
Microfinance is on the rise and not only reaching women, but a growing number of female teens. One industry participant warns that lenders must step carefully with this age group to avoid causing unintended harm.
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