Latinas and Poverty

FEMINIZATION OF POVERTY CONTINUES

Foundation reacts TO DISTURBING NEW U.S. CENSUS BUREAU STATISTICS

(Aug. 28, 2007) More women and girls are living in poverty in America—and in Illinois—according to 2006 data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The data shows a bleak financial picture for women in America. Not only do women continue to be the disproportionate majority on the poverty rolls—they are 51 percent of the population and 56 percent of those living in poverty—but also, more than half of poor households are headed by single women.

The numbers also show Americans are working harder while earning less. Women who worked full-time and year-round earned 1.2 percent less in 2006 than they did in 2005. The median income for men is $42,000 and for women it is $32,000.

“We are being told we are in the fifth year of an economic recovery. I have trouble saying that with a straight face,” said Hannah Rosenthal, executive director of Chicago Foundation for Women. “These numbers show that women and children carry the burden of poverty in America.”

Women are also disproportionately affected by the large increase in the number of uninsured. In 2006—the worst year on record—about 2.2 million more Americans reported being without health insurance, making the total 47 million, according to the figures. That is an increase of 22 percent since 2000.

“We know women are more likely to need health care, less likely to get it,” Rosenthal said. “We also know that not having health care risks women’s health, safety and economic security.”

In May, the Foundation commissioned and released “A Profile of Uninsured Women in Illinois” by Health & Disability Advocates. The study found women need more health care than men but are less likely to receive it. Latinas, younger women and low-income women are the least likely to have insurance.

Also, the numbers released today show that women are still—and have been since 2001—earning 77 cents to every $1 a man earns. In Illinois that number is 75 cents. Therefore, women are also less likely to be able to afford private health insurance for themselves or their children.

Said Rosenthal: “When you add to that the fact that employer-based health insurance is decreasing, government is pulling back from health care as we see in Cook County and in the federal children’s health insurance program—it’s a bad picture. It means these numbers barely tell the story of how poverty affects women. Something is deeply wrong and we need a change.”