Report Gives Georgia “F” Regarding State of Women

Buffy Wicks is a senior fellow with the center.

She uses Georgia’s leadership gap as an example of why the state received a poor ranking.

“Georgia was zero percent women in U.S congressional office and zero percent in terms of statewide. That’s pretty alarming.”

The zero percent of statewide held positions Wicks is referring to is for elected executive seats.

WABE’s Rose Scott reports the findings from the report weren’t alarming to a Spelman College executive.

Dr. Jane E. Smith says while Georgia women are making some progress, there’s still a long way to go in closing those gaps.

“I think that we have narrow and conservative definitions and expectations of the role of women in the workplace and in the home in general in the southeast.”

Dr. Smith is executive director for Spelman’s Center for leadership and civic engagement.

She sees a number of solutions to closing gaps within health, economics and leadership areas.

“It starts with us, women building women,” says Dr. Smith.

That’s one way, but there’s another import group according to the Spelman alumna.

“We have no enemies. Men are a part of this movement and then those that may not agree with all of your positions in politics have to be a part of moving us forward.”

Each year Spelman holds a conference dedicated to empowering women in leadership roles.