BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN OF COLORADO

ADVOCACY PLATFORM 2026-2027

BPW will employ education, advocacy, monitoring, and tracking strategies to meet the following priorities:

Equal Rights - The Alice Paul Equal Rights Amendment shall stand first and foremost above all other items of the advocacy platform until Equal Rights have been guaranteed in the United States Constitution – i.e.  “Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

Economic Equity and Justice – Fair and unbiased treatment in society and the workplace:

• Access to pay equity and retirement equity.
• Access to education, training, and promotional opportunities.
• Access to equal opportunities in the workplace and corporate boards.
• Access to women business enterprise procurement process.
• Access to quality, affordable dependent care (child, elderly or disabled).
• Access to funding and capital for entrepreneurial activity.
• Access to affordable and attainable housing.
• Disallow forced arbitration as a sole means of dispute resolution.
• Fair and equitable treatment of employees and contractors in regard to wages and work hours.
• Finance policies that provide fair, equitable, and adequate funding.

Health Equity and Justice – Eliminating disparities that prevent women from being healthy:

• Access to affordable and quality care for all, especially reproductive healthcare, including contraception and legal abortion care.
• Reproductive choice.
• Paid sick leave.
• Family and medical leave.
• Equal research funding for women’s and girl’s health issues.
• Health education funding for women and girls.
• Prevention of pregnancy and infant care discrimination in the workplace (reasonable accommodations for breast feeding/breast pumping and pregnancy related conditions).
• Ensure workplace safety.
• Expansion of mental health coverage and services.

Human Rights – Recognition that women’s rights are human rights

• Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
• Passage of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
• Eradicate domestic violence and the electronic and physical stalking, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and discrimination.
• Oppose human trafficking, sexual exploitation and slavery.
• Equal education opportunity, including adequate funding of public education, preschool through postsecondary.
• Support equal rights for LGBTQ+ persons.
• Support equal treatment of and end discrimination against all women, especially BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color), minority, and marginalized women.
• Support policies and practices that promote environmental sustainability.
• Support the endeavors of and improve conditions for military-affiliated women.
• Support equitable treatment of women in the criminal justice system, including health and hygiene
• Support gun sense measures to protect lives and ensure safety.
• Support the protection and equitable treatment of immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers.
• Support the privacy rights of women, especially regarding their health, sexual and relationship history, and personal and digital data.
• Protection of our national and state democratic system of government and our Constitutional Rights.