Joyce PowellExecutive Committee

National Education Association- United States

1910 – Ella Flagg Young

• Chicago Schools Superintendent.

• Defeated the NEA recommended candidate.

• Elected NEA’s first woman

president a full decade before women in the United States win

the right to vote.

• 1912 – NEA officially endorses the suffrage movement, giving new momentum to the fight for voting rights for women.

• 1920 – Women win voting rights The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is

ratified, 42 years after it was first introduced in Congress.

1964 – the landmark Civil Rights Act, which NEA supported, becomes law addressing race, sex and national origin.

1972 – with NEA’s strong support, Congress passes the law, Title IX of the Education Amendments, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in education. This law has opened many doors for women and girls.

Access to all courses in secondary schools

47 % of the students attending law schools in

the U.S. are women

Women’s university sports teams increased by 2,590 over the past 20 years

43 % of university student athletes are

women.

• The 20th Century - dramatic improvements in women’s access to education, career opportunities and economic independence

• Today - financial crisis – impacting women

• Theme – Access and Equality of the 2011 U.N. Commission on the Status of Women

• Our unions play a key role in continuing to increase opportunities for women.

3.2 million members Women members – 2.42 million Reflects the profession – 75% of teachers are women According to the EI Quadrennial Survey, most of the EI member unions are also majority women.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)- women around the world are paid about 20 % less than men for doing the same work.

In the United States, 45 % of union members are women

Unions have raised the wages of women members by more than 11 % - about $2 per hour – compared to non-union women doing similar work

Union members are more likely to have access to greater job benefits, good health care, and retirement security.

When we fight for better pay for educators, we are standing

up for women

When we combat gender stereotypes in the classroom

we are standing up for women.

When we advocate for early childhood education programs

we are standing up for women.

Women’s Leadership Training

Women’s Issues Committee Women’s Caucus Sexual Harassment Prevention Living Wage Campaigns

EFAIDS initiative. This project has impacted 46 education unions in 35nations, opening dialogue about sex and gender. This in turn created opportunity for discussion of women’s rights

Development initiatives, such as the John Thompson Fellowship Training, include an expectation of women’s involvement and equity

Regional women’s networks support leaders.

Mary Futrell - served as President of NEA and

Education InternationalCurrently women serving NEA -• Vice President • Secretary/Treasurer• 4 Executive Committee

Education International - President Susan Hopgood

International Trade Union Confederation - General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

Our collective action as

union members can play a crucial

role in improving the

lives of women!