Several US States Advanced Gender Equality on Election Day

Nov 6, 2020 | Amanda Klasing, Human Rights Watch
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With all eyes seemingly on the US presidential election, it’s easy to miss some of the exciting progress made on gender equality at the state level. Colorado voters had two big initiatives on their ballot, one to expand paid family and medical leave, and the other to severely restrict access to abortion. The lack of federal paid family and medical leave in the United States contributes to parents delaying babies' immunizations, postpartum depression and other health problems, and leads some parents to end breastfeeding early, while employer bias against working mothers can derail women’s careers. Colorado joined nine states and the District of Columbia that have filled this gap, by passing a state ballot measure to adopt a permanent paid family and medical leave insurance program. Likewise, Colorado voters rejected a harmful ballot initiative that would have reduced access to abortion services after 22 weeks of pregnancy and imposed criminal penalties on doctors.