Women + Girls Research Alliance

The Women + Girls Research Alliance at UNC Charlotte is a center for women’s public policy and leadership development, providing research and analysis on issues that impact women. The organization is committed to ensuring that women’s perspectives are represented in research, public policy, leadership development and education. The Alliance seeks to be a catalyst for change by improving the lives of women through this work.

Founded as a community-based organization in 2006 and integrated into UNC Charlotte in 2010, the Alliance provides faculty, students, and the community with opportunities for research and education surrounding women’s policy issues. The Alliance fosters increased collaboration between community members and UNC Charlotte, enhances public knowledge through its educational opportunities and services, and increases faculty and student research that addresses fundamental and regional issues for women, including:

  • Employment and earnings
  • Civic and political engagement
  • Economic security
  • Health and well-being
  • Violence against women

Every two years, the Alliance hosts an all-day summit conference at which new research is presented to the community including representatives of nonprofit organizations, corporations, government, media and community action organizations.

Since 2006, the Alliance has worked with task forces tackling the subjects of Women and Health; Women and the New Poverty; Women and Politics; Women and Work; and Violence Against Women. Findings from each task force were presented at the Inaugural Women’s Summit Conference in 2010, attended by more than more than 600 business and community leaders, grass roots activists, academics and students.

Currently, the Alliance collaborates with the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute as an Indicators Partner to collect and house data the Alliance needs to plan for change in Mecklenburg County. In addition, the Alliance works with faculty, graduate and undergraduate students to conduct research on issues related to women’s social and economic well-being.

Visit the Women + Girls Research Alliance website to learn more about this organization.