The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) is a state-established body charged with reviewing the status of women in Massachusetts and offering recommendations regarding policy that would improve access to opportunities and equality.
Learn more about the MCSWLegislative Agenda
The Commission recognizes the need for women to gain not only an equal share, but become equal participants in the areas of economics, health-care, civil rights, education and business development. The MCSW endorses and tracks legislation to achieve these goals.
S.947/H.1713
upcoming events and meetings
See all eventsMCSW Programs
As part of our mission to advance women and girls toward full equity in all areas of life, the MCSW provides several programs to promote rights and opportunities for all women and girls across Massachusetts.
Regional Commissions
We have 11 Regional Commissions throughout the state, which exponentially expand the reach of our work.
- 1 Berkshire County
- 2 Bristol County
- 3 Cape and Islands
- 4 Eastern Regional
- 5 Essex County
- 6 Hampden County
- 7 Hampshire-Franklin
- 8 MetroWest
- 9 Plymouth County
- 10 Upper Middlesex
- 11 Worcester County
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Last call! TOMORROW is our public hearing at the Old Chapel at UMass Amherst. Registration closes at the end of the day today – sign up now to join us in person or online! bit.ly/HampshireFranklinHearing
Oct 21
We`re hiring a Spring 2025 Communications Intern! Interested in applying? Visit our handshake page at https://bit.ly/MCSWInterns to learn more and submit your information!
Oct 18
@massgovernor @maura_healey’s Youth Advisory Council would like to invite youth members ages 16-20 to the first ever Youth Summit held Wednesday, November 13th, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House. The summit will explore important topics such as Mental Health, Education, Youth Violence, and Healthcare. Join us for special guest speakers, programming, and to create community with other civically engaged youth who are committed to youth advancement in Massachusetts. All interested youth asked to R.S.V.P. by October 31st here: Governor Maura Healey’s Youth Advisory Council would like to invite your youth members ages 16-20 to the first ever Youth Summit held Wednesday, November 13th, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House. The summit will explore important topics such as Mental Health, Education, Youth Violence, and Healthcare.
Join us for special guest speakers, programming, and to create community with other civically engaged youth who are committed to youth advancement in Massachusetts. All interested youth asked to R.S.V.P. by October 31st. Link in story!
Oct 16
We’re just one week away from our public hearing at the Old Chapel at @umass! Have you registered yet? Register now and join us via link in bio or at: https://bit.ly/HampshireFranklinHearing
Oct 15
Religion, politics, and tradition are often understood as the site where women’s bodies and their rights are debated. As Barbara Kruger reminds us, “your body is a battleground.” Our Bodies, Their Battleground: Art, Gender, and Politics is presented in conjunction with Wrongs & RIGHTS, curated by Laura Dvorkin and Maynard Monrow, and on view in the Kniznick Gallery through January 30, 2025.
Our Bodies, Their Battleground: Art, Gender, and Politics
A panel discussion with Ruth Erickson, Jameson Johnson, and Courtney Stock, Moderated by WSRC Director Harleen Singh
October 16, 2024
5:00 – 6:00 pm
Liberman-Miller Lecture Hall
Brandeis University
Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScH7bte-GocLRVMWKsbYLTjKR0W2OjCwR321uu0tR9lVUIFMg/viewform
PHOTO: Lesley Dill, I am Afraid to Own a Body, 1994, Photoetching, thread, 30 x 22 inches, Mortimer and Sara Hays Acquisition Fund, Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Courtesy of the Rose Art Museum | Photo by Sasha Pedro
Oct 15
Congratulations to Hampden County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls @hccswg commissioner Magdalena Gómez @amaxonica! Named Springfield`s Poet Laureate from 2019-2022, she has recently won the coveted International Latino Book Award for her highly acclaimed memoir noir, Mi’ja (Heliotrope Books, NYC; May, 2022).
http://www.mijamemoir.com/
Oct 10
We want to hear from you! Join the @masscsw and our partners for a virtual public hearing focusing on the impacts of issues relating to health and healthcare here in the Commonwealth.
Public Hearings are an opportunity for women across the Massachusetts to give testimony on issues that matter most to them, which directly inform MCSW`s policy priorities. We`re asking anyone interested in healthcare issues impacting women, children, and families to testify and share their experiences to learn from one another and create change, together.
The event is free and open to the public – and entirely virtual. Leaders and residents from across the Commonwealth are invited to attend, and testimony is open to any member of the public, including elected officials, to learn more about the topic at hand and hear directly from residents and constituents.
Translation, ASL, and other language and accessibility options are available – register to indicate your need via link in bio or at: https://bit.ly/MCSWvirtualyhealthhearing
#publichearing #testimony #yourstory #healthcare #healthcareissues #womenshealthcare #community #local #change
Oct 8
The state commissioners of the #MSCW have come together to release a statement about the importance of using your voice and casting your vote in local, state, and federal elections. Our overall economic, social, and cultural well-being of the people in our Commonwealth depends on each and every one of you exercising your rights and living your values. Read our statement via link in bio and then make a plan to #vote on or before Tuesday, November 5, 2024. #electionday #mapoli
https://masscsw.org/2024/10/01/the-mcsw-wants-you-to-vote-this-november/
Oct 7
The @investingingirlsalliance (#IIGA) is hosting their first training on their Thrive Benchmarks for Positive Mental Health. Thrive Benchmarks are grounded in research to lay a foundation for empowering middle school girls to thrive as adults.
These 90-minute sessions use the IIGA Thrive Benchmarks and your program ideas to add value to the programs you already provide. Add to your skills and find ways to apply benchmarks to your daily work with middle school girls. Participants will leave with a proactive look at their programs, a network of professionals engaged in similar work, and an online and paper survey to measure results.
Positive Mental Health for Middle School Girls
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
10:30 am- 12:00 pm
Register Here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MH_Oct2024
Oct 7
MCSW Commissioner Carol Fusia Campbell marks women’s small business month by sharing her powerful story as an entrepreneur, and how it has shaped her business and her advocacy for the rights of all women in leadership. Read this month’s featured guest piece in the October 2024 edition of the #MCSW Monthly via link in bio or at masscsw.org. #womenssmallbusinessmonth #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #womenempowerment #women #womenempowerment #leadership
Oct 4