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Economy & Labor

A worker pushed a cart of cleaning supplies in a high-rise building.

COVID-19 Crisis Cost Women Millions More Jobs Than Men

Women outnumbered men in coronavirus-related job losses by an estimated 2.1 million, The Fuller Project has found in an analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ employment report released Friday.  Women, who make up…
by Sarah L. RyleyMay 8, 2020
An American woman wearing a yellow top, holding some papers, standing outside a closed door.

Federal Government Needs to Change How it Releases Unemployment Data

In the sweeping economic crisis fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, women and people of color are being hit particularly hard. Industries that disproportionately employ them — restaurant, hospitality, and services — were among the first…
by Susan Smith Richardson, Xanthe ScharffApr 30, 2020

This article was originally published in The Boston Globe. 

Coronavirus Shutdowns Make Women the Majority of Unemployment Seekers in States Across U.S.

Women filed the majority of new unemployment claims in the weeks after their governors closed schools and workplaces to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
by Jessica Washington, Sarah RyleyApr 22, 2020

Imagine Online School in a Language You Don’t Understand

As COVID-19 shifts classrooms online, remote schooling poses a special challenge for families who are not fluent in English.
by Rikha Sharma RaniApr 22, 2020

This article was originally published in The New York Times. 

‘Grammie’s Taking Food to Other People’: A Trucker Keeps Trucking

Ingrid Brown loves the peace of the night, especially these days. When the sun sets, it’s just her and the road, her truck lights illuminating the highway stretching out ahead. The quiet is “like a…
by Sophia JonesApr 17, 2020

This article was originally published in The New York Times.

A nurse wearing a mask speaks to a physician wearing a mask inside an ICU

‘The Reality Is, It’s Incredibly Hard’

Shelly Hughes’s typical day starts at 9 p.m. She’s used to not wanting to get out of bed and go to work, but now the feeling is much stronger. Her son, home from college because…
by Bryce CovertApr 14, 2020

This article was originally published in The Atlantic.

Women workers stand in a queue, wearing masks and apron

Kenya’s Labor Market Wasn’t Made for a Pandemic

NAIROBI—For the past week, every morning, Akonya Shimeseru wakes up in her single-room home that she shares with her two children in Ongata Rongai, a town on the outskirts of Nairobi.
by April Zhu, Louise DonovanApr 10, 2020

This article was originally published in Foreign Policy. 

A woman waitress takes the order of two customers in a restaurant.

Breaking: Some States Show Alarming Spike in Women’s Share of Unemployment Claims

Statistics obtained by The Fuller Project from several states show that the share of people who filed new unemployment claims who were women during the last two weeks of March surged from an estimated 13…
by Sarah Ryley, Xanthe ScharffApr 8, 2020

Why the Coronavirus Outbreak Could Hit Women Hardest

At 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, I got a text message saying my children’s school in D.C. would close the next day for a deep cleaning. I’m a single mom and am lucky to have caregiving…
by Xanthe ScharffMar 12, 2020

This article was originally published in TIME. 

My Cousin’s Experience with Childhood Trauma

Trauma is not only created by singular incidents. It can also be born out of a person’s repeated or continuous exposure to stress. A child in poverty faces a higher likelihood of developing this kind…
by Vanessa DavilaFeb 21, 2020

This article was originally published in Al Día.

A mother has a baby on her lap and another young child besides her in a hut in Cambodia, she is feeding her sons some food.

The World’s Mothers Are Watching Ever More Babies Die of Starvation

When 14-year-old Wounaba first found out that she was pregnant, she was excited—until the fear kicked in.
by Corinne RedfernJan 22, 2020

This article was originally published in Foreign Policy. 

Low Wages, Sexual Harassment and Unreliable Tips. This Is Life in America’s Booming Service Industry

As job seekers are flooding into the service industry, they’re being met with low pay, few benefits and no raises as they age and gain more expertise.
by Alana Semuels, Malcom BurnleyAug 22, 2019

This article was originally published in TIME Magazine.

‘I Need the Money But I Feel Guilt.’ How a Drought-Resistant Crop Turned Women in Kenya into Reluctant Drug Lords

Khat is one of the most popular — and lucrative — drugs in the region, bringing in $400,000 a day in Kenya alone for its primarily women sellers.
by Jillian Keenan, Nasibo KabaleAug 20, 2019

This article was originally published in TIME Magazine. 

Doubts Still Linger on Kenyans’ Safety in Middle East

Stories of Kenyan women migrant workers pleading for help led the Kenya government to shut down thousands of unregulated recruiting agencies.
by Jillian Keenan, Njeri RugeneJul 29, 2019

This article was originally published in The Daily Nation. 

Do Traffickers Kidnap Their Victims? The Myths and Realities of Human Trafficking

As awareness and understanding around human trafficking grows, so do its myths, filtered and fertilized through social media and misunderstandings.
by Melissa BrownFeb 25, 2019

This article was originally published in Montgomery Advertiser.

Staying Connected: Moms Who Pump in Prison

While a woman’s right to pump her breast milk is legally protected in the United States, the privilege doesn’t extend to incarcerated moms.
by Malcolm BurnleyFeb 4, 2019

This article was originally published in Next City.

When Will #MeToo Reach Places Like North Philly?

There are so many of barriers facing women in below-poverty-line neighborhoods, but one that is rarely talked about is the pervasive sexual harassment.
by Vanessa DavilaJan 31, 2019

This article was originally published in The Inquirer.

A Look Inside the First All-Female TV News Station in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's first-ever all-female TV news station there runs a lot like any station in the U.S., with one big exception: These journalists are risking their lives.
by Sophia JonesDec 11, 2018

This article was originally published in Glamour.

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