This Briefi ng Paper, the fi rst in a two-part series addressing the needs of the women of the Gulf Coast region, uncovers the multiple disadvantages experienced by women who lived in the areas affected by both the hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, and in many of the communities to which the evacuees are moving. It also outlines policy alternatives to help rebuild their lives in a way that will allow them to ultimately leave poverty behind. At the same time that women in the region grapple with disadvantages, their work is key to recovery efforts and to the economic health of areas where many have resettled. Like women elsewhere, women in this region participate in the labor force in large numbers and are the vast majority of teachers, nurses, and sales and offi ce workers. Women’s labor will provide a key asset for recovery, whether in their temporary communities or in their old or new homes.