This, is the icon of the boundary line separating the middle class by, regarded as the “category of employees at risk of poverty for the low level of labor income”, as evidenced by a report of the Commission for the investigation labor policies and production systems presented at the National Council for Economics and Labour (CNEL).
Then, are the women who bear the brunt of the weight of the difficult reconciliation between family responsibilities and work commitments, and often more frequently than men are in a state of inactivity to discouragement or difficulty in reconciling the commitments.
For women who are, far more than for men, is frequently escape from this condition heading though, unfortunately, to inactivity; this could be due to the fact that when the woman is the main income earner in their household, may decide to leave the labor market if the salary is not enough to cover the costs of services (eg. child care).
The exit towards inactivity also hides many phenomena of discouragement, including the search for better opportunities of employment which does not give its results. Compared to men, therefore, is much more rare for women to succeed in working poor out of poverty.
The above is what happens in the so-called first world, but globally, the situation is obviously more complex.
More than 70 percent of the people in the world live in poverty, according to UN estimates, are women. Discrimination is one of the key themes of poverty in some countries that against women is an integral part of national laws, in other persists despite laws for equality. Women do not have the same access to resources and means of production such as land, credit and inheritance rights. Not receive the same salaries of men and most of their work is unpaid. Women often have informal jobs without any safety standards or social protection. At the same time they are still primarily responsible for the care of the family and home. Poverty, for women, is both a cause and a consequence of violence. Women who suffer from physical assaults, sexual or psychological lose their income and their productive capacity is impaired. Furthermore, violence against women impoverishes their families, their communities and their societies. On the other hand, poverty makes it harder for women to find a way to escape from abuse. While economic independence does not protect women from violence, access to economic resources can enhance their ability to make meaningful choices. A woman who is economically dependent on their partner does not see other ways to sustain her and her children.
But economic growth is not enough to overcome poverty, especially for women and girls who are denied the right of access to income, resources and power. The growth in many countries does not improve the situation of marginalized groups, and then a simple increase in income is not enough; discrimination and inequality must be addressed.
Each of us has a role in creating the political will for change. We can test our governments to improve women’s rights in our country, and around the world, through small everyday actions that become seeds for a great and successful women’s revolution.
March 8 – Women Working Poor
