Current Status - Summary
As of March 2026, Washington, DC, has some of the strongest local legal protections for women’s rights in the country. Local laws safeguard reproductive healthcare access, workplace protections, voting …
Women's rights are shifting
across the country.
We track the changes —
state by state.
The Women's Rights Data Initiative tracks how laws and policies shaping women's rights are evolving across the United States. Through dashboards, maps, and fact-based analysis, we explain what's happening — and why it matters.
The SAVE Act is back. Here’s why women should pay attention.
The SAVE Act has once again passed the House and is moving to the Senate. As in 2025, the bill would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register …
What’s Trending
Virginia’s 2026 constitutional amendments: What could be on the ballot in November
In early 2026, Virginia lawmakers advanced several proposed constitutional amendments that—if approved by the full General Assembly this session—could go before voters statewide in November. Together, these proposals …
Federal lending rules may change. Here’s what that means.
In November 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed changes to federal lending rules that would reduce the amount of data collected about small-business lending and narrow the scope …
Does DEI matter? The hidden infrastructure behind women’s advancement.
In early 2025, the removal of federal DEI requirements and the rollback of corporate DEI programs dismantled key workplace equity infrastructure. For years, DEI functioned as hidden infrastructure: the audits, …
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National
The SAVE Act is back. Here’s why women should pay attention.
The SAVE Act has once again passed the House and is moving to the Senate. As in 2025, the bill would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register …
Is LinkedIn’s algorithm harder on women?
There’s been a flurry of conversations about how LinkedIn’s algorithm treats women’s content. Journalists, analysts, and everyday users have started looking closely at gender differences in reach …
Shutdown + Choice: Why the USDA's refusal to tap food funding matters for women
Editor’s note: This post was updated on Nov. 12, 2025, to reflect new developments in SNAP program payments. November 1, 2025 - As the government shutdown stretches on, federal …
The shrinking reality of “legal” abortion
As of October 21, 2025, abortion protections exist in 31 states and the District of Columbia, yet access is dramatically shrinking because of federal funding cuts, hospital policies, and new …
State-by-State
Women's Rights by State
Colors reflect protections across tracked rights categories
Select your state to explore details
Voting in NY: when courts, not voters, end up shaping the rules
New York’s voting system has been repeatedly reshaped by court rulings rather than voter-driven or legislative consensus. In recent years, judges have struck down and redrawn congressional and legislative …
NYC launches the state's first pilot for free childcare
New York City is launching free child care for young children as the first phase of a broader expansion planned across the state. The initiative, announced by NYC Mayor Mamdani …