Article and photo taken in Portland, Maine by Ramona du Houx

Maine’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women  released its 2020 report to Governor Janet Mills and the Maine Legislature on July 9, 2020.

The Commission researches and prepares a biennial report https://www.maine.gov/sos/womens-comm/index.html for the legislature that reflects the current status of women and girls in Maine and recommends policy options that will improve their lives.

“We are proud of the progress women have made in our states first 200 years of statehood, but as this report shows, Maine women still disproportionately struggle for economic security, experience domestic and sexual violence, and lack access to health care,” said Commissioners Rebecca Austin and Kate Elmes, in a joint statement. The institutional and systemic barriers holding women back from full equality are amplified for Maines black and indigenous women. We hope this report supports and uplifts women’s lived experiences and provides steps Maine can and should take to strengthen women’s equality.

The 2020 report advocates for passage of the Maine Equal Rights Amendment to ensure that Maines Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. The report includes additional recommendations in the areas of economic security, freedom from violence, education, health, and under-served women.

Maines Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (MePCSW) is an unfunded, non-partisan, independent advisory board charged by statute with advising Maine policymakers on matters that impact Maines women and girls. It is supported by staff at the Maine Department of the Secretary of State main office. Commission members represent a variety of fields, backgrounds and political persuasions.