Increasing poverty in women in Upper Austria: a call for action

Increasing poverty in women in Upper Austria: a call for action

In Upper Austria, more and more women are facing the challenge of escaping the risk of poverty. According to current reports, over half a million women in Austria are affected, with a worrying increase in these figures. The situation is particularly dramatic for single mothers who are also under pressure due to the financial crisis.

The advice centers of Caritas Upper Austria and the Babsi women's advice center in Freistadt have an alarming increase in the calls for help. Michaela Haunold, the head of the Caritas advice center, reports that she has already advised over 2,800 women this year. Of these, 20 percent are single parent, and the financial risk for this group is terrifyingly high at 48 percent, which is well above average in the population.

challenges for women

The financial bottlenecks of the women concerned are serious. Not only the rent and food are unaffordable, social participation is also a challenge. Haunold emphasizes: "It is much more than just survival. Many women cannot even afford to invite friends because they cannot heat their apartment in winter." Even a visit to the cinema is unthinkable for many.

A core problem lies in the widespread part -time work among women. Almost half of the working women in Austria work part -time, while this is only 13 percent in men. This structure means that women often work in poorly paid professions, which further restricts their financial situation. This not only means less money now, but also lower pension entitlements in the future, as far as single mothers are concerned.

The structural imbalance in the area of child rearing also contributes to the precarious situation of many women. Christine Lasinger from the Babsi women's counseling center explains: "90 percent women are responsible for raising children. The parents separate themselves, often exacerbated the situation. Aliments come late and the fixed costs continue." So many women suddenly stand there for everyday life without sufficient means.

stigmatization of poverty

The social institutions, such as Caritas, can offer support in acute emergency situations. However, long -term solutions are still not in sight. Haunold describes the help as "the famous drop on the hot stone". In order to combat the growing poverty in women sustainably, structural changes are urgently needed.

A central proposal from Haunold is the increase in the compensation allowance in order to at least bring it to the risk of poverty. The support is currently around 300 euros below, a significant gap that is crucial for many. She also demands that higher wages will finally become a reality in typical women's professions.

"Poverty is not an individual failure," emphasizes Haunold, "but a structural problem." In order to effectively counter this crisis, political measures are necessary, such as the fair payment of care work and the creation of existential wages. A deeper analysis of the situation can be found in the reports of Zeitungderarbeit.at .