National Women’s Council raises inequalities within the pension system for women as a human rights i

Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2008

' My long search for security in my later years has left me feeling frustrated with the social welfare system. I feel unvalued by the State for all the years I've given to caring, we were unpaid workers who took care of parents. We saved the State a lot of money...'

The National Women's Council of Ireland & the Mid-Western Focus Group will launch 'Forgotten Women': a booklet of testimonies outlining how women in the Mid-Western region are currently being discriminated against by the State pension system. 'Forgotten Women' will be launched by Jan O'Sullivan TD on Friday morning following a seminar to discuss the experiences of women in the current social welfare system.

Speaking ahead of the event, Orla O'Connor, NWCI Head of Policy, explained the significance of the event and the booklet being launched: 'Older women's experience of the Irish pension system highlights the cumulative effect of discrimination against women in Irish society. The testimonies included in this booklet reflect the enormous contribution which women have made to family, working life and society through their care work and contribution to family farms and businesses'.

' The personal stories also reflect the deep frustration and anger which women experience on reaching their older years and realising they will spend them at risk of poverty,' stated Ms O'Connor.

'Some testimonies reflect a struggle to survive in older years and the indignity of not receiving an income in their own right, while others highlight the demand for change to happen so that they can experience older life with ease and enjoyment,' she continued.

The National Women's Council has been joined by the Clare Women's Action Group and the Clare Women's Network in organised and supporting this event. Both organisations are committed to advocating for reform of the social welfare system. A representative from the Clare Women's Network will chair the event.

This event and the issues it raises are hugely important in highlighting the discrimination which women experience. O'Connor continued: ' The fact that men and women in Irish society do not equally share care work in families is a core structural inequality at the heart of our society.

Access to pensions is also a human rights issue for women. It is quite fitting that we are approaching the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10th)and we are looking at this issue as a human rights issue affecting thousands of women across this country.

The National Women's Council extend an invitation to all members of the public to this event and encourage women in particular who are presently experiencing inequality in accessing State pensions in their own right to come along on Friday.