Report on Women’s Workforce Exodus and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent inquiry by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Democratic Women’s Caucus to the Department of Labor highlights a significant exodus of women from the American workforce. This trend poses a direct challenge to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The caucus urges an investigation into the systemic causes, which appear to be involuntary and linked to inadequate social and corporate policy frameworks.

Key Statistical Findings: A Setback for SDG 8 and SDG 10

• Diverging Gender Trends: Since January, over 330,000 women aged 20 and over have exited the workforce, while over 103,000 men have entered. This widens the labor force participation gap, with women at 58.4% and men at 70.4%, undermining progress toward SDG 8.5 (full and productive employment for all).
• Disproportionate Impact on Minority Groups: The departure includes more than 100,000 Black women, underscoring a critical challenge to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by exacerbating economic disparities among different demographic groups.
• Decline in Participation Among Mothers: The labor force participation rate for mothers aged 25-44 with young children has fallen by nearly three percentage points since January. This represents the most significant mid-year decline in over four decades, directly impacting household economic stability and gender equality.

Identified Drivers and Barriers to SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

The exodus is largely attributed to systemic failures that contravene the principles of SDG 5, which calls for the recognition of unpaid care work and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household.

• Insufficient Support for Caregiving: Women are disproportionately affected by caregiving responsibilities for both children and aging parents, a group known as the “sandwich generation.” A recent study found half of mothers in this situation had left a job due to these duties, highlighting a failure to address SDG 5.4 (recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work).
• Lack of Supportive Policies: The rising costs of childcare and the absence of comprehensive paid family and medical leave policies are forcing women to choose between their careers and caregiving responsibilities.
• End of Flexible Work Arrangements: The termination of flexible and remote work policies that were prevalent during the pandemic has removed a crucial support mechanism for working caregivers, further hindering women’s economic participation.

Congressional Action and Recommendations for Policy Alignment

In response to these trends, the Democratic Women’s Caucus has formally requested the Department of Labor to take specific actions to investigate and address the crisis. The requests aim to build a policy framework that supports inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

1. Investigate the primary reasons why women, particularly mothers, are leaving the workforce in such high numbers.
2. Provide a comprehensive update on the current staffing levels and ongoing projects of the DOL’s Women’s Bureau, the primary agency tasked with promoting the welfare of working women.
3. Report on the status of applications for the Women Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO) grant program, which is crucial for achieving SDG 5.5 (ensure women’s full participation and equal opportunities).
4. Clarify the status of the canceled WANTO and Fostering Access, Rights and Equity (FARE) grants, and the reasons for their termination.

There is significant concern that the Women’s Bureau is understaffed and non-functional, which would represent a critical institutional failure in advancing the national agenda on gender equality and decent work for all.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

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

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article’s central theme is the rising rate of women leaving the workforce, highlighting a significant gender disparity in labor force participation. It discusses the specific challenges women face, such as caregiving responsibilities and the lack of supportive policies, which directly relate to achieving gender equality in economic life.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article addresses the goal of achieving full and productive employment for all. The exodus of over 330,000 women from the workforce, contrasted with the entry of men, signifies a regression from this goal. The discussion on the lack of flexible work policies and support for caregivers points to barriers preventing decent work for women.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article explicitly points out that the issue disproportionately affects certain groups. It mentions that “more than 100,000 Black women” have left the workforce and that mothers with young children have seen a “steepest mid-year decline [in labor force participation] in more than four decades.” This highlights inequalities based on both race and parental status, which SDG 10 aims to reduce.

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

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies. The article directly connects women leaving the workforce to the “lack of support for caregiving needs,” the “costs of child care rising,” and the “lack of supportive paid family and medical leave policies.” These are the exact issues Target 5.4 aims to address.
  • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities in economic life. The declining labor force participation rate for women (58.4%) compared to men (70.4%) is a clear indicator that their full and effective economic participation is being hindered, which is the core concern of this target.

• 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. The article’s data showing a significant number of women leaving the workforce while men are entering it demonstrates a clear challenge to achieving full employment for all genders. The reasons cited, such as the “end of flexible remote work policies,” point to a lack of “decent work” conditions that accommodate the needs of a significant portion of the workforce.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of sex, race, or other status. The article’s specific mention of the high number of “Black women” and “mothers between the ages of 25 and 44 with young children” leaving the workforce directly relates to this target. It shows a lack of economic inclusion for specific demographic groups based on race, sex, and family status.

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

Yes, the article provides several specific quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Labor Force Participation Rate by Gender: The article explicitly states the participation rate for women is 58.4% and for men is 70.4%. This is a direct indicator for SDG Target 5.5 and 8.5.
• Net Change in Labor Force by Gender: The data point that “more than 330,000 women ages 20 and over have left the workforce since January” while “over 103,000 men have entered the labor force” is a clear indicator of a widening gender gap in employment.
• Labor Force Participation by Race and Gender: The specific mention that “more than 100,000 Black women” have left the workforce serves as an indicator for SDG Target 10.2, measuring economic inclusion by race and gender.
• Labor Force Participation for Mothers: The statistic that the labor force participation rate for “mothers between the ages of 25 and 44 with young children… has fallen nearly 3 percentage points since January” is a key indicator for SDG Target 5.4 and 10.2, linking caregiving responsibilities to economic participation.
• Prevalence of Supportive Policies (Implied): The article implies the need for indicators by citing the “lack of supportive paid family and medical leave policies” and the “end of flexible remote work policies” as causes for the exodus. Measuring the availability and adoption of such policies would be a relevant indicator for SDG Target 5.4.

4. Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hrdive.com