Women consistently rank the economy as the most important issue facing the nation. Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the unemployment rate for the month of September 2012 is 7.8 percent.

It’s important to know what this statistic means and how the economic situation affects women.

Check out this IWF Fact Sheet to learn the answers to the following questions:

How have women fared in the recession's recovery?

Is the unemployment rate reflective of women's ability to secure work?

What can be done to improve women's employment opportunities?