NOW and Constitutional Equality

Equality in pay, job opportunities, political structure, social security and education will remain an elusive dream without a guarantee of equality in the U.S. Constitution. The progress we have made -- and must continue to make -- towards women's equality can be lost at any time because those advances depend on legislation that can be (and has been) weakened or repealed by Congress. Although we did not succeed in ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, winning a constitutional guarantee of equality for women remains one of NOW's top priorities.

General Information:

• History of the ERA
• Who Needs An Equal Rights Amendment? You Do!
• Frequently Asked Questions About the Constitutional Equality Amendment

Latest News:

• Letter to Sec. Duncan from Coalition on Women's Appointments re Assistant Secretary for Gender Equity and Office for Gender Equity (PDF) (05/09)
• Urge Obama to Establish Women's Office at Cabinet-Level (12/08)
• Letter to President-elect Obama: Create an Office on Women (PDF) (12/08)
• NNT: What the Next President Can Do for Women and Girls (09/08)
• Honor a Legacy: Alice Paul Gold Medal: Urge Senate to Recognize Suffragist Alice Paul with a Congressional Gold Medal (07/08)
• New Push for Women's Constitutional Equality (06/07)

National NOW Conference Resolutions:

• Toward Constitutional Equality for Women and Girls (2000)
• Constitutional Equality for All Women (1995)

Archive of NOW's work on constitutional equality.