Women in the United States
This is about women in the United States today. For the history of women in the United States, please see History of women in the United States.
The United States has never ratified the U.N.'s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, although it played an important role in drafting the treaty. As of 2014, the United States is thus one of only seven nations which have not ratified it – also including Iran, Palau, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tonga.
As of 2014, women in the United States earn more post-secondary (college and graduate school) degrees than men do.
The United States has never ratified the Equal Rights Amendment.
As of 2014, the United States is ranked 20th in gender equality on the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index.
As of 2013, the most recent year for which statistics are available, average age at first marriage in the United States is 27 for women and 29 for men.
Child marriage, as defined by UNICEF, is observed in the United States. The UNICEF definition of child marriage includes couples who are formally married, or who live together as a sexually active couple in an informal union, with at least one member — usually the girl — being less than 18 years old. The latter practice is more common in the United States, and it is officially called cohabitation. Laws regarding child marriage vary in the different states of the United States. Generally, children 16 and over may marry with parental consent, with the age of 18 being the minimum in all but two states to marry without parental consent. Those under 16 generally require a court order in addition to parental consent.
The United States is the only high income country not to provide paid parental leave.
Currently (August 2014), there are 79 female representatives in the United States, making up 18% of the U.S. House of Representatives. There are also 20 female senators in the United States, making up 20% of the U.S. Senate. There are currently 3 women in the United States presidential cabinet, including: Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker. As for women in positions that have the status of Cabinet-rank there are also 3 women: Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, United States Mission to the United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power, and Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. Two of the three Deputy Chiefs of Staff are women, Anita Decker Breckenridge and Kristie Canegallo. One of two Senior Advisors is also a woman, Valerie Jarrett. The First Lady is Michelle Obama and the Second Lady is Dr. Jill Biden.
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