While women comprise 50% of the nation’s population, statistics reveal that they comprise just 17% of those serving in Congress.** Consider these additional statistics:
- The U.S. is ranked 68th internationally in women’s political representation. We are ranked behind Rwanda, China, Sierra Leone, and the United Kingdom.*
- In the 89 years that women have served in Congress, women have gained an average of one seat per year.**
- Delaware, Iowa, Mississippi, and Vermont have never elected a woman to the Senate or House of Representatives. **
** Source – CAWP
According to a New York Times Magazine article, there is growing recognition that one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of social challenges is to focus more on women and girls. Aptly quoted from that article, “The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren’t the problem; they're the solution.”
The above article, coupled with these statistics, reveals the gap in this solution. What are we in the United States doing to close the gap? In what ways are girls being encouraged to become engaged in politics and to become future political leaders and our lawmakers?
In light of this gap, a group of women decided to take action and began developing a program to encourage young girls to become educated and involved in politics. Thus, Girls Rock the House was born.
Representative Sue Myrick (R-NC) offered assistance in garnering support from other women House members. AT&T generously joined as the founding Presenting Funder while BAE Systems committed as a National Founding Funder as well.
* Source – The White House Project and IPU World Classification