I need the ERA because… economic rights are human rights

In the United States, women do not have protections nor an explicit guarantee of equality on the basis of sex or gender within the US Constitution. This has profound implications for the social and economic security of women and girls and is compounded by racial discrimination and other factors. Women in the US are more likely to live in poverty than men and to be concentrated in low-wage jobs.

The United States continues to lag behind 85% of UN Member States that have constitutions that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex and/or gender. Without this explicit protection, the US remains in violation of international human rights law and continues to reinforce hindrances to women’s full economic potential.

As part of our, I Need the ERA Because… campaign, we take a closer look at how the ERA would help move the needle on crucial issues of economic rights and well-being facing everyone in the United States today.

For 100 years, generations of feminists have been working toward equal protection within the United States Constitution. Download this factsheet to learn more about how the ERA could protect economic rights for everyone in the US.

Update:

In January 2025, former US President Biden declared the Equal Rights Amendment the “law of the land” and the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Until then, the Constitution did not explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, in stark contrast to the vast majority of UN Member States (85%), whose constitutions prohibit such discrimination. However, since the change in administration, the White House has archived Biden’s declaration, and opponents argue his action was legally meaningless. Thus, constitutional equality in the US remains precarious, underscoring the urgent need for the ERA’s universal recognition and implementation.