At 9.1% in June, inflation is at its highest level in almost 40 years. The impact has not been felt equally. In general, women have fewer resources, less wealth, lower incomes, greater unpaid care responsibilities and greater reliance on low paid and precarious work. These inequalities in particular affect lone parents, the vast majority of whom are women, and marginalised women, including Traveller women, migrant women and disabled women. The National Women’s Council are calling on government to urgently address the cost of living crisis in Budget 2023 through investment in public services and income supports.
Access to universal public childcare: Deliver a universal, public childcare model starting with an additional investment of €250m in 2023 to address affordability for low-income families and workforce pay
Tackle the cost of violence to women: Fully fund the implementation of the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, including the accommodation plan and refuge spaces
Ensure every woman has an adequate income: Increase social welfare rates, including pensions, by a minimum of €20 to address the impact of inflation, and ensure progress towards a Minimum Essential Standard of Living
Ensure income doesn’t impact contraceptive choice and bodily autonomy: Extend universal, free contraception so women have real contraceptive choice and access to the most effective forms, targeting women from 26-35 in 2023
Address lone parent poverty: Establish a Statutory Child Maintenance service to ensure adequate and stable income for lone parents
Support marginalised women’s voices and organisations: Support the participation of marginalised communities across the island through increased funding to women’s civil society organisations
Access to housing and accommodation: Invest in a major State-led housing programme for provision of public, affordable and cost rental homes and accommodation
Tackle rising energy costs and climate change: Provide deep retrofits for low income families and invest in urban and rural public transport
Protect low-income workers: Increase the Minimum Wage by €1 per hour to protect low-income workers against the rising cost of living
Support all families to work and care: Support low-income workers to care by increasing Maternity, Paternity and Parent’s Leave payments to €280p.w., bringing us more in line with EU norms
You can read our Pre-Budget Submission 2023 in full here. Gender Budgeting is one of the most effective tools we have in the fight to achieve gender equality. If you would like to support this campaign, please consider resharing some posts from our social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Alternatively, you can sign up to become a Feminst Changemaker. With the monthly donation you make as a Feminist Changemaker, you're helping us to ensure that women have voice in all the decision-making spaces about our lives, including Budget 2023.
