Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts’ (WFWM) 2023 research report Gender Equity in Western Massachusetts: The Status of Women, Girls, Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender-Diverse Adults and Youth:
- Sheds light on strengths, progress, and areas of continued or emerging gender inequity in the four-county region of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.
- Informs WFWM’s strategic planning and grantmaking for the next several years.
- Provides actionable data and insights for our current partners, and to motivate others to pursue gender and racial equity.
- Supports collective advocacy by using findings to engage stakeholders, community-based organizations, for-profit companies, other funders, government, higher education, and other agencies in advancing gender-equitable policies and practices.
The research report includes data on gender demographics, employment & earnings, poverty and opportunity, health and well-being, reproductive justice, violence and safety, leadership, and political participation. WFWM also sought a deeper understanding of the experiences of several populations, including Indigenous women, survivors of intimate partner violence, immigrant and refugee women and girls, formerly incarcerated women, and Springfield women and girls of color.