Part of our purpose at the Wisconsin Women’s Network is to propagate and champion the often underrepresented truth: that all issues are women’s issues.
We seek to address and support aspects of women’s lives through all ages, life stages, and backgrounds. Our goal is to adopt our focus areas to meet the lives of women in today’s world. Below are current topics that greatly affect our partners, supporters, and women and girls in Wisconsin. We work to advocate closely on these topics through the work of our Policy Institute and Mentorship program. After each topic, we have listed a partner organization that champions these efforts.
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Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
- Educating volunteers, advocates, law enforcement, legislators and community members about safety and support for survivors of domestic abuse. End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
- Works to create the social change necessary to ensure a future where no child, woman or man is ever sexually violated again. Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
- Strive to change the attitudes and beliefs that cause domestic violence to values of mutual respect and equality. End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
- Partner with communities in an effort to prevent and end domestic abuse. End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
- Provide safety, shelter and support to women and their families and to facilitate their development. Domestic Abuse Intervention Services
Education & Title IX
- Break through educational and economic barriers to give all women a fair chance. American Association of University Women - Wisconsin
- Advance equity through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. American Association of University Women - Wisconsin
- Promote gender-fair classroom practices, mentor girls and women, and support women scholars. American Association of University Women - Monona
- Educating students for meaningful personal and professional lives of ethical leadership, service, and a lifelong search for truth. UW Madison Department of Gender and Women’s Studies
Labor & Workplace Equity
- Pro-family workplaces with benefits and flexibility that pay enough to allow us to work, support and protect our families. 9 to 5 Wisconsin
- Ending discrimination in the workplace and promoting equal pay policies. 9 to 5 Wisconsin
- A good job that pays wages to support our families and a strong economy that enables everyone to attain and maintain a middle-class life are the foundations for a healthy nation and fundamental for America’s working families. But so many more elements—affordable health care, retirement security, quality education for our children, job safety and civil and workplace rights—are essential for all working people. AFSCME, AFL-CIO
LGBTQ Rights
- Promote equality and quality of life for LGBTQ people. Fair Wisconsin
- Create a community where the presence and contributions of LGBTQ people are welcomed and celebrated and where intolerance is challenged and defeated. OutReach
Peace & Security
- Oppose oppression and exploitation and stand for equality of all people in the world free of racism, sexism, and homophobia. Build constructive peace through world disarmament and the changing of government priorities to meet human needs. Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom
Political Participation
- Defend civil liberties and civil rights of all Wisconsin residents. ACLU-WI
- Advocate for active and informed participation in government by bringing people and communities together to consider challenging policy issues. League of Women Voters - WI
- Peace, economic and social justice, and the environment. Raging Grannies
Racial Justice
- Understand the intersection of racial inequities and disparities, and gender inequalities to end racism and injustice. YWCA Madison
- Advance race equity to create a more inclusive community by improving race relations and finding ways to eliminate racism through constructive dialogue and meaningful action YWCA Madison
- Preserve and extend rights to people who have historically been denied their rights on the basis of race and ethnicity. ACLU-WI
Reproductive Rights
- Empower all individuals to manage their sexual and reproductive health through patient services, education and advocacy. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
- Guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin
- Reproductive Justice: privacy rights, sexual rights, prisoner’s rights, immigrant rights, pregnant women’s rights and access to: safe legal and affordable abortion, universal health care, insurance coverage for home births, maternity leave for moms and dads, prenatal care, affordable and available contraception, a clean and safe environment, comprehensive sex education, and an affordable and available HPV vaccine. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin and NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin
Women in Business
- Promote equity for all women to develop their potential through networking, advocacy, mentoring, education and skills-building. Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation
Women & Aging
- Promote, protect and enhance the well-being of older people in Wisconsin. Greater WI Agency on Aging Resources and AARP Wisconsin
Women & the Arts
- Bring the arts to audiences of all ages and backgrounds; encourage participation in the arts through outreach; and enrich the lives of individuals and committees. TAPit
Women’s Equality
- Develop a culture of women’s philanthropy, empower women and girls, and inspire all women to help women. A Fund for Women
- Increasing rights and involvement for women. Wisconsin NOW, NOW Madison
- Identify barriers that prevent women in the state from participating fully and equally in all aspects of life. Wisconsin Women’s Council
- Create opportunities for women and girls to develop and use their individual talents, abilities, and skills, along with the freedom to make their own decisions, guided by their personal values and beliefs. Women’s Fund - Fox Valley, Women’s Fund - Milwaukee
- Advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy Zonta Club of Madison
Women’s Health
- Advance comprehensive women’s health by engaging, educating, empowering and mobilizing individuals and organizations. Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health