The United Nations Development Fund for Women reports that women are still the poorest of the world's poor, representing 70% of the 1.3 billion people who live in absolute poverty. They also estimate that nearly 900 million women in the world have incomes of less than $1 a day. In the United States alone, women are about 50 percent more likely to be poor than men. The feminization of poverty in America has steadily increased since the 1950's. Researchers have investigated the reasons for this increase, citing everything from teenage pregnancy to the rise in "deadbeat dads." Over the last thirty-five years there have been several trends in our society that have contributed to the feminization of poverty.

In 1978, Diana Pearce published a paper citing that poverty in America was becoming more and more "feminized." She cited that almost two-thirds of the poor over the age of 16 were women. Pearce also claimed that even though there were more women entering the labor force between 1950 and the mid-1970's, women's economic status had declined. She argued that the blame for this feminization of poverty belonged to the government because of their lack of support for divorced and si

Between 1963 and 1973, there was a 230% increase in the amount of American families on welfare (Besharov 3). The amount of welfare caseloads remained at a constant high until around 1994, when some believe the economic boom played a role in the decline of welfare caseloads. However, reports have shown that although welfare caseloads are decreasing the disposable income among single-mother families with children has actually decreased. A study issued by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that between 1995 and 1997 the poorest 20% of persons in single-mother families, a group consisting of incomes below 75% of the poverty line, average disposable income fell $580 per family. This is a decline of 6.7% since 1995; around 80 percent of these declines were in means-tested assistance (Besharov 8). This proves to be far more serious because these women are losing the benefits that come along with welfare programs like: Medicaid, food stamps, and job training. Benefits that poor mothers rely on to achieve a decent quality of life for their children.

ngle women. She argued, "for many the price of that independence has been their pauperization and dependence on welfare" (McLanahan 1). Further examination of the issue has shown that various changes in the family have contributed to the feminization of poverty.

"Although the gap between women and men's wages has narrowed substantially since the signing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, there still exists a significant wage gap that cannot be explained by differences between male and female workers in labor market experience and in the characteristics of jobs they hold. After hovering at about 60 percent since the mid-1950s, the ratio of women\'s to men\'s median pay began to rise in the late 1970s and reached about 70 percent by 1990. The gender pay ratio is currently on the rise again, surpassing 75 percent in 1997... Studies consistently find evidence of ongoing discrimination in the labor market and support the conclusion that women still face differential treatment on the job."

Even though the outlook looks grim, most women will actually choose a route of independence. These women wish to raise their children on their own despite the economic hardships that go with it. They prefer to be independent regardless of the lower standard of living that is set before them. By nature, women are becoming more independent and the typical stereotypes are slowly, but surely dissolving away. Now that women have made steps toward their independence, in spite of glass ceilings and discrimination, there are still obstacles that need to be overcome. Once women who were without work outside of the home do find outside employment, guilt can sometimes creep into their thoughts. When one looks at poor single-mothers who are being forced into wor

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Approximate Word count = 1903
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)