US: Women Set to Advance

With the Obama-Biden presidential victory, US women anticipate a brighter future. Both Obama and Biden are advocates for women's rights and have pledged to end wage discrimination, protect reproductive rights, and support measures ending violence against women. While 2008 has been an historic year for women candidates at the highest levels, the number of women running for Congress and state legislature was below past averages. Many of those who did run, however, succeeded, achieving a record number of women in the 111th Congress—17 in the Senate and 74 in the House. Still, with 17% of seats filled by women, the US remains 71st in the world in women's leadership.