As one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, YWCA has been at the forefront of the most pressing social movements for more than 150 years – from voting rights to civil rights, from affordable housing to pay equity, from violence prevention to health care reform. As we work to protect the gains made by women and people of color, we continue to advocate for legislation that promotes:
racial justice and civil rights
women’s empowerment and economic advancement
protecting the health and safety of women and girls
You are a crucial part of this work. Your voice is critical as we advocate for policies that bring us closer to eliminating racism, empowering women, and ensuring peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We invite you to learn more about our advocacy efforts below and join us in taking action!
We support efforts to improve the juvenile justice system in Illinois and dismantle barriers that prevent Illinois’ youth and young adults, especially youth and young adults of color, from reaching their full potential in the world.
Psychologists identify young adulthood (age 18 – 25) as a critical period in life when emotional intelligence, cognitive skills, and social awareness continue to develop into maturity. Yet, the criminal justice system in Illinois categorically treats an 18-year-old the same as a 40-year-old, diverting them away from the critical supports that the juvenile justice system provides. Moreover, young adults of color are over represented within the adult criminal justice system, and Illinois has one of the highest incarceration rates of African American young adults of any state in the entire nation.
What we support
Age-appropriate, restorative, equitable, and rehabilitative approaches to juvenile justice in Illinois.
Increasing the age not only reflects current understandings of developmental psychology, but also promises to decrease recidivism for this age group, enhance public safety, reduce mass incarceration in Illinois, promote racial equity, save taxpayer money, and help young people who become involved with the justice system to get back on their feet.
We oppose laws, policies and practices that enable racial profiling and the criminalization of people of color.
What we support:
Efforts to provide government agencies with tools and resources to address the role that stereotypes, biases and institutional practices play in their interactions with communities of color and other marginalized groups.
Reform of the modern criminal justice system and policies that prioritize restorative justice.
Legislation and public actions at the local, state, and federal level that make it possible for immigrants to fully integrate into the nation’s social and economic fabric, with all of the rights and supports of living in the United States.
We believe that removing barriers and expanding opportunities for women’s successful workplace participation is at the heart of our mission to empower women.
No one should have to choose between their livelihood and their health, their family, or their safety. Yet far too many women and families, particularly women and families of color, must make this choice every day.
What we support
Paycheck Fairness Act: We support the passage of the federal Paycheck Fairness Act, which offers a much-needed update to the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by providing new tools to challenge gender-based discrimination, dismantle pervasive pay gaps, and advance gender equity in the workplace. Among other provisions, this comprehensive bill:
Bars retaliation against workers who voluntarily discuss or disclose their wages
Closes loopholes that have allowed employers to pay women less than men for the same work without any important business justification related to the job
Ensures women can receive the same robust remedies for sex-based pay discrimination that are currently available to those subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity
Prohibits employers from relying on salary history in determining future pay, so that pay discrimination does not follow women from job to job.
Provides much needed training and technical assistance, as well as data collection and research
We support efforts to improve women’s economic advancement, particularly women of color, by increasing access to job-protected safe, paid sick, and paid family leave.
What we support
National, state, and local public policies and legislation that create standards for paid sick and family leave, and job-protected safe leave.
YWCA-ENS will establish strategic partnerships with organizations and coalitions focused on workers’ rights, women’s health, and gender equity to advance state legislation like the Healthy Workplace Act (HB 2343) and federal legislation like the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY Act).
Over the last 25 years, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has helped YWCAs extend services and programs to millions of women, children, and their families and has been instrumental in preventing and responding to gender-based violence across the nation.
What we support:
Legislation that reauthorizes VAWA and includes language providing robust protections for survivors of color, LGBTQ+ survivors, Native women, and other survivors who experience higher risks of violence.
Increased funding for this critical legislation, including increased funding dedicated to prevention programs that would enable YWCA-ENS to improve local schools’ efforts to prevent and address gender-based violence.
When this critical legislation expired in February 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced and passed H.R. 1585, a bill reauthorizing VAWA and providing enhanced protections for survivors, such as:
Added housing protections
Continued protections for vulnerable populations
Increased violence prevention funding
Economic justice provisions
Language preventing those convicted of dating violence and stalking from obtaining a firearm
We believe that women have the right to economic security and prioritize their economic advancement and empowerment.
What we support:
Policy initiatives that work to encourage women’s economic advancement, particularly for women of color, by increasing access to job-protected safe leave, a living wage and paid sick and family leave.
We believe that quality, affordable, healthcare is critical to everyone, especially women and children; many of whom have inadequate healthcare coverage or no healthcare coverage at all.
What we support:
Policies that promote wellness by ensuring the physical, mental, and reproductive health of women and girls.
Policies that respect the rights of women to control health and family decisions
Legislation and public policy at the federal, state and local levels that address racial disparities in maternal mortality and improve access to quality maternal services.
Policy initiatives that work to ensure community well-being by seeking to eradicate violence, against all people, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, trafficking of women and girls, and dating violence.
Legislation and policy initiatives that include the needs of all victims and survivors of violence and provide affirmative supports to survivor’s families and communities.
We work to ensure that all survivors of domestic violence pursuing legal remedies through the Illinois court system are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, and are able to secure legal outcomes that truly reflect the merits of their case. The collective experience of domestic violence service providers across Illinois demonstrates that Judges and other courtroom personnel are ill-equipped to ensure a safe experience and positive legal outcomes for victims. Existing court oversight programs have been largely ineffective at reigning in the inappropriate treatment of victims within the courtroom.
What we support
Passage of state legislation and internal judicial policies that would require judges and other courtroom personnel who serve in family law and domestic violence courtrooms to complete comprehensive, trauma-informed domestic violence training.
Ensuring Success in School Law: Students who are victims of gender-based violence must be provided with the supports and accommodations necessary to enable them stay in school, to stay safe while in school, and to successfully complete their education.
We support the work of the Illinois Ensuring Success in Schools Coalition in its efforts to improve Illinois schools’ responses to elementary and secondary school survivors of gender-based violence, including advocating for passage of the Illinois Ensuring Success in School Law.
Why we support it:This legislation would encourage schools across the state to develop and periodically review written policies, procedures, and protocols for addressing the educational and related needs of children and youth who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.
YWCA Evanston/North Shore will also work with local school districts to develop policies, procedures, and protocols that ensure compliance with existing state and federal law, as well as reflect best practices for protecting students who are survivors of gender-based violence.
As part of our increased focus on advocacy, we are working hard to champion policy initiatives that encourage economic advancement for women, particularly for women of color.
Providing a living wage to our nation’s workers is at the top of this list, so we’re encouraged and excited by the passage of SB 1, increasing the minimum wage in Illinois from today’s $8.25/hour to $15/hour by 2025.
Illinois is the fifth state, behind California, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, to guarantee a $15 minimum wage for its workers, and it is the first state in the Midwest to do so.
Read Leslie’s blog, “Historic minimum wage law will make a difference to women and families” here.
