The first-ever United State of Women summit took place at the White House on Tuesday, bringing together women from around the world to celebrate the progress made on gender equity, but also to look at the work that still needs to be done.
Former University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Virginia Sapiro said she still thinks more needs to be accomplished in the U.S.
"(Women) are not earning as much as men, and compared with the other major wealthy and democratic countries, we are way behind in offering support for parental leave and care," Sapiro said.
A majority of women continue to take the lead in domestic household work and child-rearing, Sapiro said, making other activities such as political leadership or civic engagement difficult to take on. In 2012, 62.3 percent of women voted, but they make up less than 25 percent of the U.S. Senate, 20 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives, 12 percent of governors, and 25 percent of state legislators, according to data from the summit’s website.
"Forty-three other countries have already had a woman head of government or head of state, and we haven’t managed that yet," Sapiro said.
The barriers to running for office are very high and might still impact men and women differently, she said. For example, women might want to disrupt their family life less than men do. In U.S. politics, holding office often means living elsewhere. Some studies suggest that there are more women candidates in districts that are closer to the state capitals.
Setting aside politics, having the first female presidential nominee of a major party this election cycle is significant and represents a barrier being broken, Sapiro said.
"What does it mean that women … in a century that they’ve been able to vote, has one managed to become head of state? It is a sign of democracy," she said.