In coordination with the 35th anniversary of the Montgomery County Commission for Women, county officials released a report this week chronicling the status of women in Montgomery that spans from progress to new challenges.
Most prominently,elected officials have pointed out the dichotomy in terms of financial and educational success. According to the report, women leave the work force less than men and are earning bachelor’s degrees at higher rates than years past.
But, women also earn one-third less than men and are over-represented among those living in poverty. To that end, single female-headed households, which make up 15 percent of all county families, represent almost half of the families living in poverty.
“While the report shows the strengths of the women in our community, it also raises serious concerns and identifies areas of vulnerability,” County Executive Ike Leggett said at an event introducing the report. “There is still much work to do before we can celebrate their full equality of opportunity.”
The Status of Women analysis also examines women’s status when it comes to health, immigration, crime and politics.
For instance, researchers found that in Montgomery County, the percentage of foreign-born residents is more than double the percentage found statewide. Of these immigrants, 53 percent are women, meaning they face language and cultural barriers, officials said.
Other challenges mentioned in the data are the higher rate of victimization extended to women. As is the trend nationally, women are victims of criminal acts far more than perpetrators, accounting for a mere 17 percent of those arrested in Montgomery.
County figures also point to the fact that female residents are more likely to vote than their male counterparts yet represent only 35 percent of elected officials.
