According to the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga, Tennessee is one of the worst states for women.
March is women's history month.
As we celebrate the accomplishments of women news 12's dorothy sherman takes a look at how one local organization is tackling inequity among women in tennessee.
According to the women's fund of greater chattanooga, tennessee is one of the worst states for women.
Women's fund of greater chattanooga executive director erika burnett: "tennessee ranks 49th amongst all the states, so not very great, when it comes to some indicators that would include educational attainment, economic mobility for women and girls."
It's that ranking the organization is fighting to change by attacking issues at the root cause.
Women's fund of greater chattanooga executive director erika burnett: "the goal is that there won't be any issues to solve or problems to solve.
The reality is that we have yet to achieve equal pay.
We still have stipulations around access to equitable education.
There's still shackling laws in place right now for women who are in prison and have given birth."
Part of the way they aid women is through advocacy.
And this year for the first time they've been able to get their first proactive legislation sponsored.
It centers around period poverty.
It's an issue in the community especially during the pandemic.
Women's fund of greater chattanooga executive director erika burnett: "we decided to think strategically about what are some of those hinderances for individuals to be able to donate and provide these products and what we recognized is that there is limited coverage of liability for bulk period product supplies for women and girls."
Senate bill 974 helps free up some of that liability.
The organization also supports numerous other bills.
It's all part of how they work to improve the lives of women and girls.
In chattanooga, dorothy sherman, news 12.
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