One of Maryland NOW's missions is to help women break through the "glass ceiling" of the executive suite, and break loose of the "sticky floor" — the dead-end, low wage jobs that keep so many women in poverty.  We submit that the Quality Child Care Access and Affordability Act of 2006 meets both of these ends and ask all of our members to ask their Senator and Delegate to support the Quality Child Care Access and Affordability Act of 2006.

NOW advocates for wide range of economic justice issues affecting women, from the glass ceiling to the sticky floor of poverty. These include welfare reform, livable wages, job discrimination, pay equity, housing, social security and pension reform, and much more.

EC is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. It has been around for almost 30 years.  In 2006 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved non-prescription sale of emergency contraception (EC, brand name Plan B) for women aged 18 and older, following a controversial delay of more than seven years.

Easing access to emergency contraception was a major victory for millions of women, but the FDA's politically-influenced process, and the unjustifiable limitation that women 17 and under will continue to need a prescription for EC, leaves many unsettling questions about inattention, deception and delay on women's vital health care needs.

NOW is committed to fighting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in all areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, health services, child custody and military policies. NOW is committed to educational efforts that combat the adverse effects of homophobia, promote positive images in the media and ultimately ensure civil rights protection for all. NOW asserts the right of lesbians to live their lives with dignity and security, and the rights of equal marriage for all.

NOW condemns the racism that inflicts a double burden of race and sex discrimination on women of color. Seeing human rights as indivisible, we are committed to identifying and fighting against those barriers to equality and justice that are imposed by racism. A leader in the struggle for civil rights since its inception in 1966, NOW is committed to diversifying our movement, and we continue to fight for equal opportunities for women of color in all areas including employment, education and reproductive rights.

NOW affirms that reproductive rights are issues of life and death for women, not mere matters of choice. NOW fully supports access to safe and legal abortion, to effective birth control and emergency contraception, to reproductive health services and education for all women. We oppose attempts to restrict these rights through legislation, regulation or Constitutional amendment.

NOW is unique in its approach to the issue of violence against women, emphasizing that there are many interrelated aspects to the issue—domestic violence; sexual assault; sexual harassment; violence at abortion clinics; hate crimes across lines of gender, sexuality and race; the gender bias in our judicial system that further victimizes survivors of violence; and the violence of poverty emphasized by the radical right's attacks on poor women and children—all of which result from society's attitudes toward women and efforts to "keep women in their place."

In the summer of 2005, at the NOW national conference; a number of young women fought to get the Wanda Alston Living Wage Internship established by the summer of 2006.  This internship will provide at least one low-income/working-class feminist a living wage stipend, opening the door for her to learn the necessary skills and connections needed for better job opportunities.

In 2005, the National Organization for Women acknowledged the Drug War was a failed public policy and called on the organization to oppose the Drug War and in its stead support an approach to drug abuse and addiction that fosters health, human rights,  and compassion. Additionally, NOW formed a committee to embark on an effort to educate women about the impact the Drug War has on them in particular, as well as create campaigns and actions that both the chapters and National Action Center can participate in.