The work of the AAUW California State Public Policy Committee is guided by our Mission Statement and by the three pillars of our Public Policy Priorities.
Economic Security for All Women
| What AAUW Advocates | What AAUW Does |
|---|---|
| Pay equity, fairness in compensation and benefits, and economic justice. | Advocates for legislative changes |
| Equitable access and advancement in employment, through vigorous enforcement of employment antidiscrimination statutes, including age discrimination. | Supports gender discrimination lawsuits through the Legal Advocacy Fund |
| Strengthening retirement benefits and programs, including public pension viability, and protecting Social Security from privatization or reduction in benefits. | Conducts and disseminates research to educate stakeholders and the public |
| Programs that provide all women with education, including financial literacy, training, and support for success in the work force. | Start Smart and Work Smart |
| Strengthening programs that encourage career development and earning potential, including career and technical education, access to postsecondary education, job training for welfare recipients and training for incarcerated women. | Equal Pay Day Events Fellowship Grants (AAUW Fund) |
| Policies that support work-life balance, including medical leave, family leave, quality and affordable child and dependent care. | Advocacy |
To support a strong system of high quality public education, AAUW California advocates:
| What AAUW Advocates | What AAUW Does |
|---|---|
| Vigorous enforcement of federal Title IX (Education Amendments of 1972) and all other federal and California civil rights laws pertaining to education. | Title IX Tool Kit, monitoring |
| Adequate and equitable funding for high quality public education for all students, including preschoolers. | Advocacy with Legislators |
| Increased support for programs that break through barriers for women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. | Tech Trek |
| Protection of programs that meet the needs of girls and women in all levels of education and fields of study, including sexual health education and athletics. | Advocacy |
| Opposition to the use of public funds for nonpublic elementary and secondary education, and for charter schools that do not adhere to the same civil rights and accountability standards as required of other public schools. | Advocacy |
| Support for adequate funding that gives women and other disadvantaged populations access to higher education, including two-year degree programs and vocational training. | Student Debt Research & Education |
To guarantee equality, individual rights and social justice for a diverse and inclusive society, AAUW California advocates:
| What AAUW Advocate | What AAUW Does |
|---|---|
| Self-determination of one’s reproductive health decisions | |
| Increased access to quality, affordable health care, and comprehensive family planning services | |
| Freedom from violence and fear of violence, including bullying, sexual harassment, sexual assault, human trafficking, hate crimes, and gun violence, in homes, schools, workplaces and communities | |
| Strengthening California programs, including affordable housing, that improve the lives of women, children and families living at or below the poverty level | |
| Support for United Nations programs that address human rights and women’s and girls’ concerns | Advocacy Education Support/collaborate with other community agencies that do social justice work |
| Freedom in definition of self-identity and family, and guarantee of civil rights for all forms of self-identity and all family structures | |
| Vigorous protection of and full access to civil and constitutional rights for all | |
| Continued support for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment |