New report shows current state of women in New Orleans post-COVID-19
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New findings from a benchmark study following the well-being of women post-COVID-19 show improvements in a variety of areas.
“We find that as women increase representation in economic life, when women increase political participation, we see important advancements for communities and families,” said Dr. Anita Raj, the executive director of the Newcomb Institute and a professor at Tulane University.
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Raj says there have been successes across the board since the start of the pandemic. Education is increasing, and the city is opening the doors for greater access to health care. Raj says one area that seems to be lagging is making sure there is equal opportunity for success.
“We still see a disproportionate burden of infant mortality, of sexually transmitted infections, of poverty on our Black and our growing Hispanic communities of women. We also know that a lot of families, young families, are struggling because the housing costs are high, childcare costs are high.”
Another key issue is the city’s steep population decline. A recent census estimate revealed New Orleans saw the biggest drop in population of any large metro nationwide from 2020 to 2023.
“Our city is declining in part because we are not retaining our increasingly college educated population. I think the opportunities of business growth so that we can actually, a council person said this, and I thought was a really important thing. We can be the economic engine of Louisiana and the South,” said Raj.
By holding these forums, organizers say they hope to start the conversation on how to address the concerns the study is identifying.
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“Understanding what the problems are, and the data behind, it is essential for crafting policies and then funding those policies to get implementation,” said New Orleans City Councilwoman Lesli Harris.
“Women are the change makers,” said Junior League of New Orleans President Tara Waldron. “We have seen that society over and over again. The better that women do, the better that society does overall.”
Junior League New Orleans commissioned the study in commemoration of its 100-year anniversary.
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