Women gather to set priorities, strive for equality

ASHEVILLE – Buncombe County women came together Saturday morning at the YWCA of Asheville to learn about public policies affecting equality for women and to prioritize action items. After listening to remarks by state and local officials and representatives from area advocacy and nonprofit groups, the crowd of about 50 voted access to health care and economic self-sufficiency as its top legislative priorities.Violence against women and female civic participation were also highly ranked. 

Every two years before the state General Assembly's long term session, North Carolina Women United hosts the forum to set its Buncombe County Women's Agenda. State Rep. Susan Fisher and state Sen. Terry Van Duyn kicked off the event discussing why equality has yet to be achieved, charging Buncombe County residents to bring about change.

Women's issues are cross cutting, they said. Fighting for women and families defies political and economic division. "We have still much, much work to do," said Fisher who spoke first to the energetic crowd, encouraging them to develop an agenda that will resonate with men, women and children across the state.

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