Posted by: 
The Women's Economic Security Campaign (WESC) launched its campaign in an online policy forum and brought together leading experts working on creating opportunities for low-income women in the new green economy.
Female heads of household working at the poverty level are hit the hardest by economic downturns. In September 2009, more than 1.1 million working-age female heads of household wanted a job but could not find one. Ninety percent of working-age adults in the United States who earn less than $15,000 a year working full time are women.
The campaign’s strategy is to create jobs for women by tapping into the new green economy. According to the briefing’s findings, “women would benefit significantly from gaining access to green jobs that pay higher wages.”
The majority of green industry thus far has been concentrated in trades and construction which traditionally has been a male-dominated sector. To shift the paradigm of women under-represented in most green job occupations requires direct policy and program action.
According to United States Labor Department's Acting Assistant Secretary, Megan Uzzell, the Labor Department is making significant investments in green jobs for women. These investments will help to overcome the barriers that women face including lack of awareness and support for other career opportunities, training, support and discrimination or harassment.
“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has earmarked 500 million dollars for renewable energy sectors to target under-served communities and women. Five million dollars will go towards labor grantees to fund women in trainings for non-traditional jobs. There is room for everyone in this green energy economy," she asserted.
Programs that are already in action are meeting the needs of women through apprenticeship, training and job placement. Jane Vellinga, Executive Director of Chicago Women in Trades shared the success story of one woman, Robyn Bush.
“She worked at Home Depot for 14 dollars per hour, making less than she would have been making on unemployment. She enrolled and graduated from pre-apprenticeship training program and was the first woman to earn a position with the ironworker’s local. She is now using her skills to power the new green economy working on a wind farm outside of Chicago preparing blades for wind towers.”
Green jobs will provide economic security for not only women, but the 8.5 million children living in poverty who are being raised in single parent households.
“By creating millions of green jobs, we can pull America out of this recession and protect lives across the globe. Women and people of color have the most to lose and if we do not work to create economic opportunities for them now, they will be left behind again,” said Green For All's Chief Executive Officer Phaedra Ellis Lamkins.
