FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2007
Contact: Kim Diehl, Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade
Email: kim@womensfundmiami.org
Tel: (305) 441-0506; Cell: (786) 554-8650

Preliminary Findings Released at Miami Women’s Summit Show Women in Miami-Dade Are Chronically Underemployed
On the eve of Mother’s Day, hundreds of women gathered to address public leadership, violence, and economics.

Miami – While current headlines are touting low unemployment figures in Miami-Dade County, an analysis of women’s economic security released at today’s Miami Women’s Summit paints a different picture. Researchers at Florida International University’s Research Institute for Social and Economic Policy found that while overall unemployment is low in Miami-Dade, almost half of women working part time would like to work more but do not have the opportunity.

The researchers also found the percent of women in the labor force is steadily increasing, but the wages and benefits provided in the jobs where many women are concentrated present an unequal picture with men. In fact, according to the findings, wage inequality exists at all educational levels: in 2005 the median yearly wage for a man with a Bachelor’s degree was $40,747 while for women it was $28,523.

“The state of women’s economic security is in crisis, yet there has been no organized response to lift women out of poverty,” explained Claudia Kitchens Executive Director of Women's Fund of Miami-Dade, the organization that commissioned this study. “That’s why we established a Women’s Economic Task Force today.”

The expert panelists at the Miami Women’s Summit also revealed startling statistics regarding violence against women. According to Sharon Denaro, Director of the Advocate Center for Training and Treatment, domestic violence fatalities from 2005-2006 were up 68% in Miami-Dade County since the previous year, compared to dropping fatalities in other cities.

“For the past ten years reported domestic violence and sexual assault incidents have gone down, yet in 2005-2006, this trend reversed itself,” explained Denaro. “More efforts must be made by the public and elected officials to ensure that the causes of this startling trend are identified and that we come up with solutions together to bring this homicide rate down.”

Commissioners Sally Heyman, Natacha Seijas and Katy Sorenson spoke to participants about the importance of increasing the number of women in public leadership. Leadership and financial support for the Miami Women’s Summit came from the Offices of Commissioners Edmonson, Heyman, Jordan, Seijas and Sorenson.

“I would like to see a lot more women run for public office. There are a lot of women in poverty, women threatened in their homes and violent situations around the community and we need more women in leadership positions so we can make real progress in these areas,” said Commissioner Katy Sorenson.
Three women’s organizations collaborated as sponsors of the summit. The Miami-Dade County Commission for Women, founded in 1971, is comprised of twenty-six members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to serve in a public advisory capacity with respect to all matters pertaining to the status of women. Since 1993, Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade’s grantmaking has supported more than 200 gender-specific projects that address the unmet needs of women and girls. The Dade County Federation of Women’s Clubs was established to develop closer cooperation among women’s organizations representing diverse geographical areas of the community.

Women throughout the county participated as delegates from their organizations.

The delegates listed below represent the diversity of the Women’s Summit:
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter, American Association of University Women (AAUW)—Miami Branch, Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod, LLP, Coco Plum Woman's Club, Coconut Grove Negro Women’s Club, Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami, Inc., Florida Immigrant Coalition, FIU Women’s Studies Center, Foundation of the Americas, Human Services Coalition, Miami Woman’s Club, MUJER, National Association of Women in Construction, National Coalition of 100 Black Women - Greater Miami Chapter, Planned Parenthood of Greater Miami, Palm Beach and Treasure Coast, Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA), Sahara, Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center, Sisterhood of Temple Israel of Greater Miami, St. Thomas University - Women United for Human Rights, The Nubian Sistahood, URGENT, Inc., Woman’s Club of Coconut Grove, Women Count!, Women's Chamber of Commerce, Women's Movement Now Younger Women’s Task Force, YWCA of Greater Miami-Dade.

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