UWLP Publishes White Paper on Strengthening Girls and Women Across Utah

The Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) at Utah State University released a new white paper titled What Utahns Can Do to Strengthen Girls & Women: Findings from Community Conversations Across Utah. The report integrates insights from 28 county-level “think tank” discussions (Uintah Basin hosted two counties) held statewide between 2022 and 2024, aimed at identifying strategies to enhance the well-being and opportunities for Utah girls and women.

The white paper categorizes the findings into five key areas: business and economics, education, health and wellbeing, government and community engagement, and culture. It highlights both common themes and region-specific challenges, providing a comprehensive overview of the barriers and solutions identified by residents and leaders.

Susan R. Madsen, director of UWLP, professor of leadership in the USU Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, and co-author of the report, emphasized the importance of localized approaches to address the unique needs of women and girls in different communities.

“This report provides insight into the interconnectedness of challenges Utah women face, presents common themes and concerns, and highlights challenges unique to specific areas or counties,” Madsen said. “More importantly, it empowers county leaders to work within their counties – or in multicounty collaboratives – to seek solutions that respond to the needs of women and girls in their communities.”

Business and Economics

While some recommendations were more specific to a region, other themes were repeated across county lines, including:

1. Addressing and removing barriers preventing women’s success in the workplace. 
2. Increasing access to high-quality, affordable, accessible childcare.
3. Increasing women’s participation in the STEM business sector.
4. Encouraging adoption of family-friendly practices in workplaces.

Participants in Uintah Basin and Cache County discussed the competing responsibilities women encounter. Utah County participants discussed how women are perceived, both by themselves and in the workplace, and the struggles associated with those perceptions. Participants in Box Elder, Carbon, Daggett, Emery, Millard, Piute, San Juan, Sevier, and Weber discussed the issue of poverty and limited job opportunities and the devastating impact that can have on women – specifically single women – in those areas.

Education

Each of the focus groups mentioned the importance of education and how completing high school and obtaining college certificates and degrees is critical to a woman’s development. Other themes that emerged included:

1. Expansion of career development beyond the classroom. 
2. Increasing opportunities for girls to participate in leadership development.
3. Promoting community education opportunities in communities where other types of education are unavailable.
4. Increasing culturally responsive support systems for underrepresented women and girls, especially within educational settings.
5. Addressing and removing barriers preventing women and girls from obtaining education.

Participants in Davis County urged leadership within K-12 environments to expand communication to include families who may not receive information due to language barriers or multiple jobs. Daggett County participants suggested exposing young women to trade-based programs tied to construction and industry opportunities, opening the door to major employers in the county.

Health and Well-being

The well-being of girls and women across the state proved to be a top concern for many focus group participants. Most themes that emerged regarding health and well-being were repeated across county lines, including:

1. Improving response and outcomes for girls and women experiencing challenges with mental health.
2. Ensuring adequate support and protection from all forms of sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation of girls and women.
3. Addressing potential dangers associated with social media, specifically for young women and girls.
4. Addressing substance abuse and addiction, specifically as it relates to poverty as a root cause.

Participants in Cache, Daggett, and Tooele focus groups shared concerns regarding caring for the elderly in their communities, including long distances to travel to receive care. Piute County participants mentioned a lack of healthcare providers and suggested a need to have a recreation facility for women to exercise and socialize. Many rural counties seem to be lacking quantity and quality of care, and increasing access to healthcare providers was a common recommendation.

Government and Community Engagement

Participants in all county think tanks emphasized the importance of actively involving girls and women in civic life and fostering supportive community environments. In addition, the following themes were discussed in at least half of the focus groups:

1. Prioritizing opportunities for girls and women to build community connections and access community resources.
2. Counteracting stereotypes, traditional gender roles, and cultural norms.
3. Building confidence, creating opportunities, and teaching skills.
4. Spotlighting women in important roles and increasing the visibility of opportunities to lead.

Participants in Garfield County suggested collecting county-specific data about women’s issues and building a foundation of local statistics. Washington County participants mentioned talking with youth about the challenges they face and presenting data to elected officials. Although Daggett County attendees noted their small size and the heavy influence of religion on its culture, they suggested taking advantage of these elements by educating women on leadership possibilities within their religious and cultural conventions.

Culture

Participants from across the state acknowledged that the culture (why and how we do what we do) has a significant impact on women and girls. From their comments, two themes emerged:

1. Using diversity within religious perspectives to improve the lives of women and girls.
2. Increasing support, encouragement, funding, and visibility for girls and women in sports and all types of physical activity.

Participants in San Juan County noted that spirit weeks in their high school focused only on the boys’ sports, and recommended reevaluating that tradition. Cache County participants spoke of the heavy influence of religion on culture, but using the influence to reinforce change. Davis County leaders and residents suggested involving ecclesiastical leaders in similar conversations, and Box Elder County participants noted the need to encourage local religious leaders to identify barriers for girls and women and counter those with opportunities for positive change.

Utah’s counties range in area, population, and demographics. While Daggett County is working to address population decline, Utah County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. San Juan County’s challenges may not be as applicable to a county on the other end of the state. However, drawing from the insights of leaders and residents across Utah, a picture emerges of the collective effort needed to strengthen the impact of girls and women in the state.

“While many of these recommendations will need time, energy, and funding to implement, others can happen instantaneously with mindset shifts, daily actions, and a willingness to listen and change,” said Corinne Clarkson, co-author of the report. “The path forward will look different in every community and county, but the end goal remains the same – to make Utah a place where every girl and woman has the chance to thrive, lead, and shape her future. We can ensure that more girls, women, and their families thrive by leaning into this work within our homes, congregations, workplaces, and communities.”

The appendix of the report includes a listing of  “What Can I Do” reports by county. 

The UWLP is also affiliated with USU Extension.