When a woman thrives, her family thrives.
When a family thrives, the community thrives.
The Lives of Women & Girls in Monterey County is the next step in a process that began in 2004. At that time, the Women's Fund of Monterey County and Tellus/Diganos Center for Community Research First Published First Glance: Quality of Life of Women and Girls report on the status of local women and girls. In 2011, local researchers refreshed the data, convened focus groups and conducted key interviews as the basis for this updated report.
The voices of women of all ages in Monterey County can be heard throughout this report. We asked for their perspectives on their quality of life, their challenges and their triumphs. They answered clearly and with candor. They told us of aspirations for themselves and their families while describing the barriers they face each day. They offered suggestions to policy makers for addressing key issues. They did their part. We now ask you to listen, reflect and take action to support their quest for better lives and brighter futures.
Input from dozens of local girls, adult and elder women, representatives of service agencies and public officials helped to provide focus and context for the findings. The full report is not intended to be a comprehensive assessment of the quality of life of women and girls, but a snapshot of the critical issues that currently impact the women of our community and a call to action to address trends of concern. We offer this in report service to our vision of Monterey County as a place that supports all women to the fullest extent in leading healthy, productive and fulfilling lives.
Key themes:
• ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICENCY. Poverty is a pervasive problem for women and girls in Monterey County who are trapped in low-paying jobs without the means to support themselves and their families.
• EDUCATION is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, but many low-income women face serious obstacles to realizing their educational goals and hopes of stable, higher paying jobs.
• Despite progress on many HEALTH indicators, serious disparities persist along socioeconomic and demographic lines, particularly for low-income and immigrant women.
• SAFETY continues to be a concern for women of all ages who are vulnerable to violence, harassment and bullying and don’t feel empowered to speak out and seek assistance.
This report was funded by the Women’s Fund of Monterey County
a field of interest fund of the Community Foundation of Monterey County
Confirmed in Compliance with National