DEPARTMENT: Economic Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Alejandra Lopez
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT: Briefing on the progress made on the key initiatives developed in response to the Status of Women Report
SUMMARY: A briefing on the progress made by several City Departments on the key initiatives developed in response to the findings contained in the Status of Women Report commissioned by the City of San Antonio.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2018, the City of San Antonio unanimously approved a resolution on Women’s Equity, reaffirming the commitment of the City to improve the status of women, specifically in the four following strategies: 1) by eliminating all forms of violence against women, 2) by promoting the health and safety of women, 3) by promoting substantive economic and business opportunities for women, and 4) by promoting political participation and leadership by women.
As a result of the resolution on Women’s Equity, a comprehensive study on the status of women in San Antonio was prepared by Dr. Rogelio Saenz and Lily Casura from The University of Texas at San Antonio. This report utilized a variety of data sources to provide a detailed account of the standing of women in regard to health, education, work, housing, civic engagement, and violence, among others.
The data from this study was used to prepare a concise infographic-based document that provided an overview on the status of women and also highlighted the data in the key areas mentioned above. The study and briefing on the status of women in San Antonio can be found online on the City’s Metropolitan Health website.
Since the development and release of the Status of Women report, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health), the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Economic Development have developed and implemented key initiatives focused on improving the status of San Antonio women. The recently developed Poverty Report is also guiding this work as it points to the fact that women are more likely than men to be living in poverty due, in part, to gender wage gaps, women’s prevalence in low-paid occupations and lack of work-family supports.
ISSUE:
Economic Development Department and Metro Health will brief the Economic and Workforce Development Committee on the progress the City has made on addressing specific initiatives that fall within four categories: 1) Health and Wellbeing, 2) Economic Opportunities, 3) Political Participation and 4) Violence and Safety.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.