WASHINGTON, June 20,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Women's Policy
Research (IWPR) has unveiled a new data model demonstrating that
abortion bans in extremely restrictive states are costing the US
economy $68 billion per year. This
significant economic loss is attributed to reduced workforce
participation among women, leading to a substantial decrease in
wages and economic power for women and their families.
Dr. Jamila K.
Taylor, president and CEO of IWPR: "Reproductive
rights—including accessible abortion care—are essential to women's
full participation in society. Less talked about is the impact
these extremist bans have on the health of the national economy,
where women are half of the workforce.
"Sixty-eight billion dollars. That
is how much the 16 states that ban or extremely restrict abortion
are costing the US economy each year," said Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, president and CEO of IWPR.
"Reproductive rights—including accessible abortion care—are
essential to women's full participation in society. Less talked
about is the impact these extremist bans have on the health of the
national economy, where women are half of the workforce. States
that have taken proactive measures to protect access to
reproductive health services offset these costs some, but the
economic consequences of abortion bans remain staggering."
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, several states have passed
bans and extreme restrictions that harm all women of reproductive
age, particularly Black, Latina, low-income, young, and rural
women, as well as LGBTQ+ individuals who already face systemic
obstacles in accessing health care and economic opportunities.
IWPR's research demonstrates that these bans also impose tremendous
costs on the US economy. Abortion bans not only reduce women's
participation in the workforce but also result in significant
losses of wages for women. For businesses, restrictions on access
to reproductive health care can affect their ability to build a
strong workforce, impacting their bottom line and adversely
affecting state economies.
Key Findings
- Economic Loss from Restrictions—IWPR estimates that the 16
states with either an abortion ban or extreme restrictions cost the
national economy $68 billion
annually. (See map here.)
- Protective States Mitigate Costs—States that protect abortion
rights are reducing these economic losses. If the eight states with
strong protections for the right to abortion did not have these in
place, the cost of reproductive rights restrictions to the national
economy would rise an additional $45
billion.
- Impact on Labor Force Participation—In states with bans and
extreme restrictions, labor force participation among women aged 15
to 44 would be higher if these bans were absent. For example:
In North Dakota and
South Dakota, women's labor force
participation would be 2.6 percent higher.
In Mississippi, women's labor
force participation would be 4.0 percent higher.
- National Impact on Labor Force—Nationally, an estimated
additional 0.8 percent of women aged 15 to 44 would enter the labor
force in the absence of reproductive health restrictions, adding
360,588 more women to the nation's labor force annually.
- GDP Growth—Elimination of these restrictions would increase the
national gross domestic product (GDP) by half a percentage point,
boosting the most recent GDP growth rate estimate of 1.3 percent
for June 2024 by over a third.
- State-Specific GDP Increases—Three states with bans—Arkansas,
Mississippi, and Missouri—would
have GDPs that are 1.28 percent, 1.28 percent, and 1.29
percent higher, respectively, equating to the most recent estimate
of national GDP growth.
- Additional Earnings for Women—Without these bans and
restrictions, employed women aged 15 to 44 would earn significantly
more annually, contributing to economic stability and growth.
"States that insist on restricting women's reproductive freedoms
are hurting everyone who lives there," said Kate Bahn, IWPR chief economist and senior vice
president of research. "Women are key drivers of the American
economy; the more far right lawmakers block access to reproductive
health services and hinder the ability of women to participate in
the workforce, the more local communities and families suffer. It
is a classic lose-lose situation: these laws harm women and hurt
state economies in the process."
The Institute for Women's Policy Research strives to win
economic equity for all women and eliminate barriers to their full
participation in society. As a leading national think tank, IWPR
builds evidence to shape policies that grow women's power and
influence, close inequality gaps, and improve the economic
well-being of families. Learn more at IWPR.org and follow us on
Twitter.
Media Contact
William Lutz, IWPR, 2027855100,
media@iwpr.org, iwpr.org
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content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/ahead-of-the-second-anniversary-of-the-overturn-of-roe-v-wade-new-iwpr-analysis-shows-state-abortion-bans-cost-the-us-economy-68-billion-annually-302178282.html
SOURCE IWPR