Care work in Austria: Women fight against poverty in old age!

Care work in Austria: Women fight against poverty in old age!

Equal Care Day on February 29th highlights the serious injustices in the distribution of care work in Austria. According to the Lower Austrian Poverty Network, women spend an average of over four hours a day doing unpaid care work, while men only spend around half of that time. This unequal distribution leads to alarming poverty in old age among women, who receive on average 41 percent lower pensions than men. “All work – half pension,” as the chairwoman of the poverty network, Barbara Bühler, aptly put it, illustrates the precarious financial circumstances of many women, who often work part-time jobs and are therefore able to pay significantly less into the pension funds, reports ORF.at.

One example is the retired geriatric nurse Maria from Lower Austria, who cannot afford to heat her apartment in winter because her minimum pension is below the poverty line. According to Bühler, almost 45 percent of households at risk of poverty are currently unable to cope with unexpected expenses. The poverty network's demands on politicians are clear: an increase in the minimum pension and a fair distribution of care work between the genders. “Poverty in old age is not a natural law, but a political reality,” says Bühler. She also calls for structural reforms in paid care work as well as fair pay in order to address the challenges of unfair pay equality. These topics are also at the center of discussions surrounding the upcoming International Women's Day, such as NÖN.at reported.