Women's rights report alarming

For women, Indiana is one of the worst states to call home, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. The state ranks an embarrassing 44th of the 50 states and District of Columbia on issues of concern to women. This shameful statistic shows that progress toward gender equality in Indiana is painfully slow, and it is a plea for Indiana to examine how to best make changes throughout the state, to improve the quality of life for women.\nThe report revealed a wide variety of inequalities in the state based on gender. On average in the United States, women earn 74 cents for each dollar made by their male counterparts, up from 60 cents per dollar two decades ago. But Indiana women are paid 67 cents per each dollar their male counterparts earn, according to the study. \nThe state ranks low in many other areas, including women's control of their own economic lives, level of education, overall health statistics, disease occurrence, involvement in local and state government and control of reproductive rights, including birth control and abortion.\nThe report surveys a wide variety of problems, and there are doubtless numerous factors that contribute to these various statistics and low rankings. Because of the scope of women's concerns, it is impossible without further study to pinpoint a clear solution for each individual problem or to offer a blanket solution to the problems women face in the state of Indiana. \nBut it is unfortunate that our state ranks so poorly, and we need to find out why we fall so far behind; perhaps it is something the government can fix, or perhaps change must come from residents, businesses or schools. The study did praise Indiana for having institutional resources, such as a commission for women. Perhaps this commission should spearhead the effort to make changes in Indiana. Our state government should take this report as a sign to further study these problems, and see what can be done to improve Indiana for its female residents. \nThe statistics appear dismal. But the Institute did not release the report to gripe and complain about women's rights or empowerment. It released the report to increase awareness of continuing problems and to effect change. Their observations are a call for everyone to rethink and reshape women's rights in Indiana.