The Pennsylvania Commission for Women has released its 2009 Status of Pennsylvania Women Report.

The findings?

Over the past four years, Pennsylvania women have made great strides in statistical measures of health, education and economic status, but continue to earn less than Pennsylvania men on average, find work in lower-paying jobs, and remain largely absent from the state political scene, according to the report.

"This one-of-a-kind report provides a non-partisan, in-depth look at what the women of this commonwealth face, including all of the good news and all of the bad," said Commission for Women Executive Director Leslie Stiles. "We are pleased at how far women have come in terms of achievements and goals, but this report clearly details how much farther we have to go."

The report can be downloaded from the commission's Web site at www.pcw.state.pa.us, or a hardcopy can be requested by calling the Pennsylvania Commission for Women at 717-787-8128.