Oklahoma Women's Coalition Officially Launched Today at State Capitol

Most Oklahomans are not aware of the sobering statistics regarding Oklahoma women and girls:

Oklahoma ranks

# 1 in incarcerated women and 2/3rds are single mothers
# 1 in child abuse
# 4 in the divorce rate
# 4 in females murdered by their partners
# 6 in teen births
Nearly one in five Oklahoma girls never graduates high school.

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research ranked Oklahoma 48th in the nation on the status of women. That puts us third from the bottom.

I think you will agree with me . . . these statistics are NOT OKAY.

The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition is a new statewide bipartisan organization that wants to change these statistics.

Today the Coalition went to the Oklahoma State Capitol to put the spotlight on women across the state who struggle every day just to provide basic needs for their families. These are Oklahoma women and girls who are overlooked, who fall through the safety net and
who do not achieve their full potential.

The Coalition will gather and disseminate information on programs and issues important to women and girls. It is also looking at bills in the Oklahoma Legislature that would help women and girls succeed. They are focusing on a range of issues -- as they relate to women and girls -- including aging, education, families, health care, incarceration, violence, and work.

Images: US Congresswoman Mary Fallin offers suggestions and encouragement. Center: Legislative leaders of the house and Senate brief participants on the "Hot Topics" in the 2009 Legislature. Bottom: Lt Governor Jari Askins, Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy and Coalition Chair Jean Warner unveil the Coalitions official logo in the blue Room during press conference.

A special thanks to Oklahoma City TV channel KFOR and Dick Pryor at OETA's Oklahoma News report for covering the event on their news broadcasts this evening. :-)

And here is the AP story on the event:

Coalition to advocate for women, girls
2/18/09, 11:47 a.m.


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A new coalition will advocate for policies to help women in Oklahoma reach their full potential. Oklahoma Women's Coalition chairwoman Jean Warner says Oklahoma is the third worst state in the nation for women and girls. Warner says Oklahoma is No. 1 among the states in incarcerating women, No. 4 in the divorce rate and No. 6 in teenage births.

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins and Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy took part in a news conference on Wednesday to formally launching the coalition. Warner says Oklahoma is coming up short when it comes to creating an environment favorable to women. She says the coalition will advocate and disseminate information on women's issues to lawmakers, state agencies and other organizations.