2005 National NOW Conference Resolutions

• Strategic Nonviolent Resistance to Protect Women's Rights
• Stop the War Now
• Supporting Women & Reconstruction in Afghanistan
• Patriot Act Extension
• Regional Women of Color Summits
• Focusing NOW's Morning-After Pill Organizing on the Campaign for Over-the-Counter Access
• Women with Disabilities Activist Strategy Caucus
• Women's Rights - Another Casualty of the "War on Drugs"
• Corporal Punishment in U.S. Schools
• Marriage Equality Day of Action
• Invisible Warriors: Refuse and Resist
• Broadening NOW's Commitment to Transgender Inclusion
• Sexual Assault in the Military
• NOW Values Mothers' and Caregivers' Economic Rights

STRATEGIC NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE TO PROTECT WOMEN'S RIGHTS

2005

WHEREAS, throughout its history, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has used both traditional and nontraditional means to achieve full equality for women, including women's access to safe, legal abortion and birth control; and

WHEREAS, the resignation of Sandra Day O'Connor and possibly one or more additional Supreme Court Justices in the near future will permit President George W. Bush to use his opposition to the principles of the Roe v. Wade decision as a litmus test in making any new nomination to the Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, women's essential right to privacy, affirmative action, disability rights, and family and medical leave are in grave danger because we have lost the critical fifth vote on the United States Supreme Court;

WHEREAS, NOW is committed to demanding the nomination of a Supreme Court justice who recognizes that the right to privacy includes reproductive rights and non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression and identification, and that equal protection means all of the people;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW declare a State of Emergency to Save Women's Lives and reaffirm that protecting the courts from those who seek to repeal women's rights is of the utmost priority; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW call upon all members of the U.S. Senate to give meaning to democracy by insisting that each new appointment to the highest court reflect our country's women until parity is reached on the Court; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in these dark days of the Bush Administration, NOW and its chapters recommit ourselves to the struggle to save women's fundamental rights; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that nonviolent civil disobedience be one of the wide range of strategies and tactics employed by NOW to oppose restrictions on women's lives; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the national NOW Action Center provide resources to NOW activists on NOW's Principles of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience (CD) and the potential strategic value of nonviolent CD in addition to providing resources for lobbying, marches, rallies, pickets and actions at the state and local levels.

STOP THE WAR NOW

2005

WHEREAS, the Bush administration led the country to war under false pretenses; and

WHEREAS, the Bush administration's actions have spread hatred and distrust of Americans across religious, cultural, and national borders worldwide; and

WHEREAS, the Bush administration's war on Iraq has irresponsibly undermined the security of the United States and provided a hotbed of recruiting and training for terrorists; and

WHEREAS, militarism and its wars increase all forms of violence against women and girls, including the defunding of basic human needs; and

WHEREAS, the war has left all Iraqi citizens with severely damaged infrastructure, widespread hunger, homelessness, disease, and death, and in addition has deprived women of rights they had before the war by giving considerable power to extremist religious interests that oppose women's interests; and

WHEREAS, the unemployment rate of Iraqis now exceeds sixty percent while American contractors and corporations hoard the benefits of Iraq's natural resources and expose American citizens to extreme danger for corporate profit;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) support the constructive and expeditious withdrawal of American troops from Iraq; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW support the restoration of civil society in Iraq through the allocation of reconstruction funding and contracts to Iraqi businesses that pledge not to discriminate against women, to hire skilled Iraqi workers, and to train workers and provide new infrastructure, rather than handing contracts to U.S. contractors such as Halliburton and Bechtel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW urge the U.S. government to move with all due speed to end our military occupation of Iraq and invest proportionate financial resources in Iraq rebuilding, humanitarian relief and personal safety of the Iraqi people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW urge that the humanitarian funds from U.S. Aid for International Development go to indigenous, woman-led Iraqi nonprofits to provide humanitarian services, schools, clinics and any other services these organizations deem necessary; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that plans for the future of Iraq must include full equality and representation for women; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NOW support the United for Peace and Justice mobilizations in Washington, D.C., and other regional locations by joining their massive march on September 24, 2005, and subsequent rally, teach-ins, lobbying day, and other events from September 24 through September 26, 2005.

SUPPORTING WOMEN & RECONSTRUCTION IN AFGHANISTAN

2005

WHEREAS, the war in Afghanistan has left millions homeless without basic necessities and exposed to great health risk from untreated sewage, a devastated health care system, and destroyed personal security, especially for women; and

WHEREAS, at least forty of the schools for women and girls, so recently opened, have been burned and/or destroyed; and

WHEREAS, the Taliban and other oppressive sects are rebounding with a vengeance; and

WHEREAS, Bush promised a Marshall Plan for Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, the dire personal conditions in Afghanistan fueled poppy-growing, drug trafficking, and sexual trafficking;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW urge the U.S. government to:

• Increase of the size of the International Peacekeeping troops;
• Deliver seriously on the Marshall Plan to rebuild Afghanistan, and to earmark a significant proportion of these funds for the building of women's clinics and the development of women's and girls' schools and programs;
• Provide viable economic alternatives designed to reduce poppy exportation;
• Stop the trafficking of women and children, both girls and boys;
• Stop the U.S. military's Army's deals with the warlords that undermine the emerging democracy.

PATRIOT ACT EXTENSION

2005

WHEREAS, under the USA PATRIOT Act, immigrants will be unnecessarily targeted in the hunt for terrorists; and

WHEREAS, this Act undercuts trust between police departments and immigrant communities by opening sensitive visa files to local police for the enforcement of complex immigration laws; and

WHEREAS, this Act targets undocumented workers with extended jail terms for common immigration offenses; and

WHEREAS, this Act provides for summary deportations without evidence of crime, criminal intent or terrorism. Lawful permanent residents are among the immigrants who may be summarily deported whenever the United States Attorney General says they are a threat to national security; and

WHEREAS, this Act completely abolishes fair hearings for lawful permanent residents convicted of even minor criminal offenses through a retroactive, "expedited removal" procedure; and

WHEREAS, this Act prevents any court from questioning the government's unlawful actions by explicitly exempting these cases from habeas corpus review; and

WHEREAS, Congress has not exempted any person from habeas corpus - a protection guaranteed by the Constitution - since the Civil War; and

WHEREAS, this Act allows the U.S. Attorney General to deport an immigrant to any country in the world, even if there is not effective government in such a country, or to a country in which their "life or freedom would be threatened" because of race, political opinion or other reasons; and

WHEREAS, this Act not only impacts the rights of immigrants, but also has serious negative impact on the civil liberties and civil rights of every person in this country, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) oppose the extension of the USA Patriot Act; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that information about this Act be disseminated to NOW members and supporters.

REGIONAL WOMEN OF COLOR SUMMITS

2005

WHEREAS, one of the National Organization for Women's (NOW's) priority issues is the commitment to eradicating racism in all of its forms; and

WHEREAS, women of color continue to be affected by society's racism in all aspects of society, which is perpetuated by the lack of action on the part of our government officials and elected leaders in the areas of health, education and economic policy; and

WHEREAS, women of color in particular suffer the multiple effects of inequality based on sex, race and ethnicity; and

WHEREAS, at the NOW Foundation's Women of Color and Allies Summit held in April 2005, attendees called for a continuing dialogue on racism and women of color in the women's movement; and

WHEREAS, NOW is committed to building on the relationships with women of color organizations forged through the organizing efforts of the Women of Color and Allies Summits; and

WHEREAS, NOW's national platform provides a forum for women of color to support and organize for the fight for social, political, economic, health and reproductive justice;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW issue an urgent call to NOW leaders, activists and supporters to address the issues of inequality, disparity and injustice facing women of color in each of their regions, states and local communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW call for regional Women of Color and Allies Summits in 2006 thru 2007 in order to develop a common agenda to further the cause of equality; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these regional Summits be held at regional levels in strategically selected venues accessible and visible to women of color communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that women of color be involved in the planning, leadership and implementation of these forums and that the National Board be urged to allocate resources based on the need of the region to plan and organize the forums; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that each Summit, at its conclusion, develop a strategic plan of action with women of color and allies that will ensure greater diversity and inclusion of women of color in NOW.

FOCUSING NOW'S MORNING-AFTER PILL ORGANIZING ON THE CAMPAIGN FOR OVER-THE-COUNTER ACCESS

2005

WHEREAS, women's freedom to choose when and if we have children is a basic right that is fundamental to controlling our lives and directing our futures; and

WHEREAS, the Morning-After Pill (MAP) is a safe form of birth control that can prevent pregnancy up to five days after sexual intercourse, but which is most effective within the first 24 hours; and

WHEREAS, the prescription-only status of this time-sensitive drug impedes access to MAP, and medical professionals-including the National Women's Health Network and the American Medical Association-overwhelmingly support over-the-counter (OTC) distribution; and

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has repeatedly postponed making a decision on MAP- both due to pressure from the larger anti-birth control movement, which wants the application denied, and from the feminist movement, which demands MAP be OTC- but could make a decision at any moment; and

WHEREAS, an age restriction, currently under consideration by the FDA, would create serious obstacles to all women's access by requiring that MAP be sold behind-the-counter (BTC), allowing women's reproductive choices to be unnecessarily dictated by pharmacists, and because a woman old enough to get pregnant is old enough to decide that she doesn't want to get pregnant, and because women are insulted at the prospect of being carded for contraception; and

WHEREAS, a state-by-state approach to legislate for BTC status is also bad because some states won't pass it, it will divide feminist energies on many fronts instead of consolidating it, and it will take pressure off the FDA, which is the national target; and

WHEREAS, the feminist strategy of the National Organization for Women (NOW) should be to fight for what will give women the most freedom, which in this case is OTC access to MAP; and

WHEREAS, NOW, as the largest feminist group in the country, has the power to affect the outcome of the FDA decision, and thereby advance women's reproductive rights in a way unparalleled since abortion rights were won;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW will declare a Day of Action that shall include a National NOW demonstration at the offices of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA. NOW will also encourage chapters to hold speakouts in their regions to raise awareness about MAP and will assist in the logistics of these actions; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NOW will send sample press releases regarding the Day of Action to state and chapter leaders, along with a position paper on the importance of a national fight for OTC access to MAP; encouraging activists to focus on the national target, the FDA; and warning of the dangers of approaches that work toward behind-the-counter access, age restrictions or other compromises that undercut the fight for over-the-counter access.

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES ACTIVIST STRATEGY CAUCUS

2005

WHEREAS, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has an uncompromising commitment to protecting the rights of people with disabilities and to dismantle ableism; and

WHEREAS, disability rights issues are at the forefront of political debate in terms of federal judicial appointments, states' rights, civil rights law enforcement and legislation, health care and other issues; and

WHEREAS, NOW must remain on the cutting edge of the disability rights movement; and

WHEREAS, NOW has long standing opposition to all forms of discrimination and NOW's historic purpose includes full participation, independence, and diversity for all, including people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, NOW's 1978 "Provision for Disabled Persons" supports equal opportunity for all; and

WHEREAS, NOW's 1985 "Elimination of Work Disincentives for Women with Disabilities" committed NOW to work for legislation to achieve economic equality and psychological independence; and

WHEREAS, NOW's 1987 "Campaign to Free Sharon Kowalski" mandated that NOW develop actions to confront "-isms" such as handicapism (now known as ableism); and

WHEREAS, NOW's 1995 "Disability Rights Education" resolution called for the education of our membership on disability rights issues; and

WHEREAS, NOW's 2002 "Women with Disabilities and Allies Forum" resolution called on NOW to hold such a Forum which was successfully held in October 2003; and

WHEREAS, NOW recognizes the essential need for continued dialog on strategies to eliminate the double-pronged discrimination experienced by women with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, both feminists with disabilities and feminists without current disabilities share similar issues with similar strategies, as well as different issues and different strategies;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW embark on a formal discussion among NOW activists with and without disabilities, disability rights activists and others; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW sponsor a one-day "Women with Disabilities Feminist Activist Strategy Caucus" to foster discussion among and bring together NOW activists with and without disabilities to develop new NOW strategies for action to fully integrate issues of women with disabilities into our feminist work on domestic violence, child custody, health care, equality in employment and education, lesbian rights, body image, reproductive and abortion rights and all feminist issues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each Region in NOW shall be represented in this Caucus; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Disability Rights Ad Hoc Committee work closely with NOW's National Officers to organize this Caucus; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this Caucus be held preferably preceding, but no later than, October 2006, the date and location to be determined by the Disability Rights Ad Hoc Committee and the National NOW Officers.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS - ANOTHER CASUALTY OF THE "WAR ON DRUGS"

2005

WHEREAS, the incarceration rate of women convicted of low-level drug-related offenses has increased dramatically in the past decade as a result of our nation's relentless "War on Drugs," and poor women and women of color have been disproportionately targeted for drug law enforcement and receive long mandatory prison sentences that have little relationship to their actions or culpability; and

WHEREAS, two thirds of women in prison have at least two children who are displaced as a result of their incarceration, often forced to live in the care of family, friends, or state-sponsored foster care where they may be at increased risk of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; and

WHEREAS, women's unique patterns of drug abuse and addiction and special treatment needs are inadequately addressed, as women often turn to drugs to cope with undiagnosed or untreated mental illness, and/or the trauma of physical or sexual abuse or other stresses particular to women; and

WHEREAS, the intersection of substance use and pregnancy are increasingly the focus of drug law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, violence against women and other circumstances specific to women's involvement in drug-related activities are often overlooked or ignored in sentencing, such as situations in which women who have been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused by partners involved in drug operations are dependent on them and unlikely to turn to the authorities; and

WHEREAS, after incarceration, women continue to bear the stigma and burden of post-conviction sanctions that constitute collateral consequences of incarceration impeding their reintegration into society, including denial of access to public housing, public assistance and food stamps, higher education aid and civic participation, effectively rendering them second-class citizens;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) iterate its opposition to the "War on Drugs" and in its stead support an approach to drug use and addiction that promotes compassion, public health and human rights; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW educate its membership about the harms the "War on Drugs" inflicts on women, using the NOW web site, NOW materials and literature and regular NOW legislative updates including pending legislation that would negatively impact women; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that an ad-hoc committee be created to research current drug policy that has a particular impact on women and report back to the leadership and membership at the next national conference on a potential action plan to be implemented locally and nationally in conjunction with other organizations currently working toward the same objectives.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN U.S. SCHOOLS

2005

WHEREAS, over 340,000 students in grades K through 12 in the public schools of 22 states are paddled annually, and of this number, it is estimated that 75,000 are females; and

WHEREAS, women in high school may be subject to school paddlings even after having attained the age of legal adulthood; and

WHEREAS, the great majority of school corporal punishment is designated and administered by male administrators and teachers; and

WHEREAS, school paddling has an ample history of inflicting severe bruising, intense and/or long-lasting pain and, in some cases, debilitating injury; and

WHEREAS, the availability of civil action over injurious school corporal punishment is increasingly impeded by states' passage of specialized "teacher protection" immunity laws; and

WHEREAS, the modern-day prospect of unwanted, widespread, prurient attention to victims via corporal punishment-themed adult websites may inhibit parents from seeking redress for their injured child for fear of the publicity such complaints could generate; and

WHEREAS, corporal punishment legitimizes violence and aggression as a method of problem solving by precisely those adults the student is expected to emulate, thus encouraging his/her own use of or submission to violence and aggression; and

WHEREAS, in the overwhelming majority of cases, battering husbands and battered wives were routinely exposed to corporal punishment when they were children, either receiving it, witnessing it or both; and

WHEREAS, the legitimacy of principals spanking students is at odds with prevailing sexual harassment codes, which bar employers from spanking employees; and

WHEREAS, school paddling violates Title IX insofar as girls and boys are impacted differently, because, unlike boys, girls would have to reveal intimate personal information in order to avoid the chance of this punishment being unfairly compounded by menstrual discomfort; and

WHEREAS, corporal punishment carries unique psychological hazards since it makes the body a direct transmitter of condemnation; and

WHEREAS, the physical assault of persons incapable of protecting themselves is antithetical to feminist and democratic values;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) oppose the use of corporal punishment in U.S. schools and all other institutions, public and private, where children are cared for and educated.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY DAY OF ACTION

2005

WHEREAS, the National Organization for Women (NOW) is committed to full marriage equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people; and

WHEREAS, the education campaign that was launched in 2004 has given increased visibility to the issue of marriage equality as well as opportunities for the public to become more educated about the issue; and

WHEREAS, over 20 states throughout the United States have passed constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage with more states slated to do so; and

WHEREAS, action is required to move the campaign to the next level given the ongoing attacks against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people and their rights to full marriage equality;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW will partner with its chapter- and state-level leaders to define the scope and direction of a day of coordinated action for full marriage equality in an effort to stem the tide of anti-LGBT attacks.

INVISIBLE WARRIORS: REFUSE AND RESIST

2005

WHEREAS, for lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women of color, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia are compounded by race and sex discrimination; and

WHEREAS, building bridges of solidarity among and between LBT women of color through consciousness raising and education is a critical part of ending racism, sexism and homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia; and

WHEREAS, the barriers of racism and sexism are deeply rooted in every movement for social justice, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement, LBT women of color must have the necessary space, time and resources to build trust across communities; and

WHEREAS, immigration issues are an important part of the work that we do as LBT women of color because they have a significant impact on the health and well being of our families and communities; and

WHEREAS, marriage equality is important to the economic, social and political health and well being of our families and communities; and

WHEREAS, there are large numbers of transgender people of color inside and outside of the United States, many of whom are women. Being inclusive of transgender women of color is critical to our work of creating solidarity among us; and

WHEREAS, language is an important part of honoring our cultures and families and understanding the importance of a multilingual approach to our activism is critical to creating solidarity among us;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) educate and advocate inside and outside the feminist movement about the voices, experiences and history of activism of LBT women of color.

BROADENING NOW'S COMMITMENT TO TRANSGENDER INCLUSION

2005

WHEREAS, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has existing policies to combat oppression of transgender people and to advocate for the inclusion of gender or "gender identity and/or expression" in the federal Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act (LLEEA); and

WHEREAS, NOW is committed to ending gender stereotypes for transgender people as well as anyone who does not conform to gender stereotypes; and

WHEREAS, gender identity and expression continue to be dropped or omitted from pieces of legislation that are fundamental to protecting the transgender community and others who do not conform to gender stereotypes; and

WHEREAS, NOW must continue its efforts to advocate for full inclusion of the transgender community in the LLEEA, as well as other pieces of legislation, including the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA); and

WHEREAS, NOW opposes any piece of legislation that intentionally or unintentionally targets the transgender community or anyone that does not conform to gender stereotypes, such as the federal Real ID Act;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW advocate for the inclusion of gender identity and expression in any legislative effort that impacts the transgender community or anyone who does not conform to gender stereotypes.

SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY

2005

WHEREAS, sexual assault in the military is a very serious crime against women and should be treated as such; and

WHEREAS, Military Criminal Investigation in 2004 received 1,700 reports of alleged cases of sexual assault, which include rape, nonconsensual sodomy, and indecent assault, as well as attempts to commit those offenses, and these figures are undoubtedly understated because sexual assault in the military often goes ignored and unpunished; and

WHEREAS, the reporting and non-reporting options policy announced by the Pentagon does not provide adequate protections to victims; and

WHEREAS, the fear of retaliation by peers and superiors, retribution by authorities, and reprisals is another obstacle for victims and survivors in the military; and

WHEREAS, the military is in a unique position to give support through privacy protection and to give education to military personnel about recognizing and preventing sexual assault; and

WHEREAS, the lack of privacy is often the prime obstacle to victims of sexual assault associated with the military seeking services and treatment; and

WHEREAS, sexual assault in the military often causes victims to cease their training and withdraw from the military academy they are attending, thereby preventing women from pursuing the career of their choice;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Organization for Women (NOW) urge that the military to adopt the following recommendations:

1. The complete chain of command within the military will receive education and training on reporting incidents of sexual assault; and
2. All victims and survivors of sexual violence in the military receive the same protections as those in our civilian community; and
3. The Pentagon's Joint Task Force for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response will establish a confidentiality policy for civilian counselors treating military sexual assault victims; and
4. The Pentagon's Joint Task Force will establish an office for advocates of sexual assault victims in the military; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NOW urge George W. Bush, the Commander in Chief, to review Executive Order 13,140 that relates to Military Rule 513 involving confidentiality between client and therapist and urge Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to review the disclosure policy in the military involving sexual assault.

NOW VALUES MOTHERS' AND CAREGIVERS' ECONOMIC RIGHTS

2005

WHEREAS, the landmark National Organization for Women (NOW) resolution "Homemaker's Bill of Rights: Economic Recognition for Homemakers" (1978), which called for the acknowledgement of unpaid mothering and caregiving work as a valuable part of our nation's economy, remains largely unfulfilled in state and national legislation nearly thirty years after its passage; and

WHEREAS, U.S. society's underlying bias against mothers' and caregivers' work, whether or not it is performed in conjunction with paid or waged labor, remains institutionalized within the U.S. Government and standard employment practices; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the care of children, our swiftly aging nation is putting women, our traditional caregivers, into an even more tenuous economic position as the unpaid work of eldercare becomes more commonplace; and

WHEREAS, the anti-caregiving movement within conservative politics seeks to roll back entitlements such as Social Security Insurance and the Family and Medical Leave Act, and to further restrict access to public assistance benefits, forcing even greater numbers of women into poverty; and

WHEREAS, the current national discussion over the role of our mothers and caregivers is being led by corporate-owned media and right-wing ideologues; and

WHEREAS, it would benefit both NOW and the nation's mother and caregiver population to build a feminist mothers and caregivers constituency within NOW to promote active resistance to political forces currently in opposition to the women's movement;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW educate the public on this issue, build coalitions with feminist activist groups that advocate for mothers' and caregivers' economic rights and lobby for appropriate federal and state legislation to create programs such as quality universal childcare, Social Security and tax credits for caregivers, and paid family medical leave insurance; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW encourage state chapters to form Mothers' and Caregivers' Economic Rights Task Forces; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW encourage local chapters to form feminist mothering and caregivers programs to recruit women who might not otherwise become members and to develop strong community support for our organization; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the National NOW Board form a regionally representative ad hoc committee comprised of chapter, state and national activists and experts that will work with the Board and the national officers to develop online resources and action kits, including talking points, programming ideas, media resources, and other materials.