Editorial: National Women’s History Month [Video]

March is National Women’s History Month.Given that our state faces a labor participation shortage and women in Alabama make up 53% of the available workforce, we should focus on women more to fill that labor gap.A new report from the Women’s Foundation of Alabama shows half of women face barriers to working because they are the primary caregivers unable to find access to high-quality and affordable childcare.A U.S. Department of Education report shows Alabama has the highest number of Childcare Deserts in the southeast meaning there are only enough childcare seats for about a third of the children that need care.This deficit forces parents to make tough decisions, particularly mothers. They either sacrifice quality to get care or sacrifice being in the workforce because quality matters. That’s an impossible choice.Schools offering career education need to offer affordable childcare options, and employers need to provide childcare benefits. State Lawmakers need to …