Women's Rights
Attorney General Raoul leads the fight for gender equality, to protect a women's right to comprehensive health care that includes reproductive services, to guarantee women's rights in the workplace, and to safeguard women from abuse and sexual assault.
Taking the Equal Rights Amendment to the Washington DC
The ERA guarantees equal rights for all Americans regardless of their sex. The act, adopted by Congress in 1972, has had enough states to ratify it, but still has not been certified. In May 2021, Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and then Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring in another step to move the ERA forward. In September of 2022, they appeared before the U.S. Court of Appeals arguing their lawsuit to ensure the federal government acknowledges the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution.
Defending a Woman's Right to Comprehensive Health Care and Reproductive Services
The Illinois Attorney General upholds Illinois laws so that individuals can make personal decisions about their reproductive health care needs, protect their rights, and ensure the freedoms that are at the core of our democracy.
Attorney General Raoul continues to work with the Office of the Governor, the Illinois General Assembly, and the Biden Administration to address concerns triggered by the U. S. Supreme Court's decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
The office seeks to expand safeguards under state law to ensure that women and providers are protected from those who would use this decision to obstruct access to abortion care— especially those who already have the least access to health care and other resources.
Protections in the Workplace for Women
The Attorney General protects and advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents. This includes instances where women may face discrimination at a business entity or experience unlawful treatment that could be pervasive in some business sectors.
The Workplace Rights Bureau can investigate and litigate cases involving serious or persistent wage law violations or other significant employment practices. The Bureau also monitors labor and employment legislation and proposes legislation when there is a need to address gaps or strengthen existing law.
Actions to Address Abuse and Assaults Against Women
The painful effects of sexual assault, domestic violence and other forms of violence against women impact every person in Illinois. Through a vigorous legislative agenda in Springfield and innovative partnerships with law enforcement around the state, the Attorney General's Office also continues to work toward improved sex offender management in Illinois, a reduced rate of crime against women, and more aggressive prosecutions of criminals who abuse women.
The Attorney General's Office offers numerous programs and services aimed at protecting the rights and well-being of women. These programs and services include:
- Grant funding through the Violent Crime Victims Assistance Act to help victims of violent crime recover and rebuild their lives;
- Trainings and seminars to provide law enforcement and first responders with better tools to prevent and solve crimes against women, prosecute domestic abusers and sex offenders, and help victims cope with the trauma of violent crime; and
- Comprehensive directory to make services more readily available to women in need.