Child care expenses hit single mothers hardest in NH – Valley News

Report on Socio-Economic Barriers for Women in New Hampshire in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Economic Disparities and Their Impact on Gender Equality

A recent report by the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation highlights significant economic challenges for women, which impede progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

1. Cost of Childcare: The high cost of childcare presents a substantial barrier to economic stability.
   • Annual infant care costs average $21,593, consuming approximately 45% of a single mother’s median income. This financial strain directly undermines efforts to achieve SDG 1 (No Poverty) by pushing families, especially female-headed households, into economic precarity.
   • The prohibitive cost forces women to reduce work hours or leave the workforce, hindering progress on SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by limiting their economic participation and independence.
   • This exodus from the workforce also impacts SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by shrinking the labor pool and perpetuating cycles of lower-paying positions for women upon re-entry.
2. Gender Pay Gap: Women in New Hampshire earn 76 cents for every dollar earned by men. This persistent wage gap is a direct contradiction to the principles of SDG 5 and contributes to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
3. Unpaid Care Work: The caregiving burden falls disproportionately on women throughout their lives. The finding that 58% of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren are women underscores the challenge of recognizing, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care work, a key target under SDG 5.

2.0 Health and Well-being Outcomes

The report identifies critical issues in health and safety that affect the state’s ability to meet SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

• Maternal Health Access: The closure of at least 13 labor and delivery units since 2000 has created barriers to accessing essential prenatal and postpartum care. This trend directly threatens the achievement of SDG 3 targets related to reducing maternal mortality.
• Mental Health and Maternal Care: A strong correlation exists between access to obstetric and gynecological care and lower rates of depression. With mental health conditions contributing to over half of maternal fatalities, integrating mental and maternal healthcare is crucial for advancing SDG 3.
• Substance Abuse Disparities: While overall overdose deaths have declined, the reduction has been less significant for women (a decrease from 130 to 94 deaths) compared to men (a decrease from 300 to 193 deaths). This disparity highlights the need for gender-responsive approaches to meet SDG 3 targets on substance abuse prevention and treatment.

3.0 Women in Leadership and Decision-Making

An analysis of women’s participation in leadership reveals a mixed landscape, indicating uneven progress toward SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

• Disparity in Representation: While women hold high-level federal and state offices, their representation in local government is significantly lower. This gap hinders the achievement of SDG 5.5, which calls for women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making.
  • Women occupy only 8% of mayoral positions.
  • 39% of towns have no female representation on their select boards.
• Areas of Progress: Women constitute a majority on school boards (56%) and hold 31% of judicial positions, indicating progress in specific sectors.
• Impact of Female Leadership: The report notes that female leaders are more likely to support policies benefiting women and girls and to seek bipartisan compromise, reinforcing the importance of inclusive institutions as envisioned in SDG 16.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article directly addresses health issues affecting women in New Hampshire. It discusses the closure of labor and delivery units, which impacts access to prenatal and postpartum care. It also highlights the connection between mental health and maternal care, noting that mental health conditions contributed to over half of maternal fatalities. Furthermore, it provides data on drug overdose deaths, differentiating between men and women, which falls under the scope of public health and well-being.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • This is a central theme of the article. It examines gender inequality from multiple angles: the disproportionate burden of childcare costs on women, particularly single mothers; the impact of caregiving on women’s participation in the workforce; the gender pay gap (“women in New Hampshire earn less than men, making only 76 cents for every dollar earned by men”); and the underrepresentation of women in local political and judicial leadership positions.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article connects the high cost of childcare directly to women’s economic participation. It states that these costs push mothers to “leave the workforce or cut back their hours.” It also mentions the long-term economic consequences, as women who re-enter the workforce often secure “lower-paying positions than before.” The discussion of the gender pay gap also relates to the goal of achieving equal pay for work of equal value.
4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article focuses on the specific economic and social inequalities faced by women in New Hampshire. The financial strain of childcare on single mothers (45% of their income) compared to other family structures, the gender pay gap, and unequal representation in leadership roles are all examples of inequalities that hinder the social and economic inclusion of women.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio. The article’s mention that “mental health conditions contributed to over half of maternal fatalities” directly relates to this target.
   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The discussion of mental health’s link to maternal care and fatalities aligns with this target.
   • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. The article provides specific data on drug overdose deaths among women and men, which is a key concern of this target.
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including access to quality essential health-care services. The closure of “at least 13 labor and delivery units” is a clear example of a barrier to accessing essential services like prenatal and postpartum care, making this target highly relevant.
2. Under SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work. The article’s focus on the high cost of childcare and the fact that women are more likely to leave the workforce for caregiving duties highlights the economic consequences of society’s undervaluing of care work. The statistic that “women make up 58% of grandparents who are responsible for their grandchildren” further supports this.
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The article provides detailed statistics on this, noting that women hold only “8% of mayoral positions” and that “39% of towns in the state don’t have a single woman on their select board,” directly addressing this target.
3. Under SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value. The article’s statement that women make “only 76 cents for every dollar earned by men” is a direct measure related to this target. The issue of women being pushed out of the workforce due to childcare costs also relates to achieving full and productive employment.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Yes, the article provides several specific quantitative and qualitative indicators.
   • Cost of childcare as a percentage of income: The article states that infant care costs “about 45% of a single mother’s annual income.” This is a direct indicator of the economic burden of care.
   • Gender pay gap ratio: The figure that women make “76 cents for every dollar earned by men” is a standard indicator used to measure progress towards equal pay (Target 8.5).
   • Proportion of women in leadership positions: The article provides precise percentages for women in various roles, which are direct indicators for Target 5.5. These include: 8% of mayoral positions, 56% of school board seats, and 31% of judges. The fact that 39% of towns have no women on their select boards is another clear metric.
   • Maternal mortality data: The finding that “mental health conditions contributed to over half of maternal fatalities” is an indicator related to the causes of maternal mortality (Target 3.1).
   • Substance abuse mortality rates: The specific numbers of overdose deaths for women (130 in 2023, 94 in 2024) and men (300 in 2023, 193 in 2024) serve as indicators for monitoring progress on Target 3.5.
   • Access to healthcare facilities: The number of “labor and delivery units” that have closed (at least 13 since 2000) is an indicator of diminishing access to essential healthcare services (Target 3.8).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: vnews.com