by Kate Bonello Sullivan
for The EAPN. June, 2007
POVERTY
Poverty has various manifestations, including a lack of income and productive resources sufficient to ensure a sustainable livelihood, hunger and malnutrition, ill-health, limited or non-existent access to education and other basic services, increasing mortality from illness, homelessness and inadequate housing, unsafe environments and social discrimination and exclusion, in this context it is also characterized by lack of participation in decision-making and in civil, social and cultural life.
In the EU member states, the risk of extreme poverty amongst women greatly exceeds the risk of extreme poverty among men and the longer the period of living in poverty with a particularly low income, the greater risk of falling into a state of permanent economic privation and social exclusion. Measures therefore to combat poverty should not simply aim to help those who are already living in extreme economic deprivation but should also seek to prevent and tackle factors which lead citizens into extreme economic and social deprivation.
NAP ON POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION
Whilst the National Action Plan on Poverty and Social Exclusion 2004- 2006 and the National Strategic Reference (2007-2013) acknowledges that poverty and social exclusion exists, specific, concrete, innovative measures and structures need to be adopted and implemented in order to combat the feminisation of poverty and social exclusion. Whereas, there are positive measures outlined in the report to address those in need, it appears that there is and has been too much generic rhetoric and not enough specific innovative structures targeted at addressing the immediate problem of the poverty and social exclusion of women as a whole. NSO revealed that 59,315 persons in Malta fell under the poverty line in recent months (2007). The two highest risk of poverty are children under 16 years and those over 65 years.
LEGAL UPDATES
Legal Updates in Malta for 2005-2006 have been introduced from a gender perspective to assist women in employment. Tax relief for women returnees, childcare, N.I. Contribution Credits, Family Friendly measures and part-time work amendments however, these measures albeit, moving in a positive direction, still do not address adequately the real issue of feminisation of poverty, in particular single women, single parent, pensioners, carers, those in a de facto relationship or those women not engaging in employment due to a culture stalemate.
CHILDCARE AND FAMILY FRIENDLY MEASURES:
Childcare needs to be affordable, N.I. Contribution Credits for 2 years per child is inadequate especially if childcare structures are not in place or affordable. Family Friendly measures need to be adopted and encouraged in the private sector to create a greater work-life balance to foster sustainable socio-economic development whilst at the same time ensuring that this burden is sustainable to the employer. The wage gap between men and women in Europe is still on average between 16% and 33% and there has not been any real progress made with regard to the implementation of the principle of equal pay for work of equal value which was introduced 30 years ago through Council Directive 75/117/EEC on equal pay for men and women. 6.6% of men, 30% of working women in the EU have a part-time job, a choice often forced on them by a lack of affordable childcare facilities.
In Malta there are 48,610 employed females and 4,085 unemployed females as at October – December 2006 = around 2.5%. There are 113,588 inactive females (NSO 51/2007). 35,001 females (26% of all females between the ages of 15-64) do not have a secondary level of education. They only have Primary education or no schooling. (NSO 37/2007). The percentage for females in Malta is lower than the rate of At-Risk-of-Poverty for females in the EU (27% is a threat for Malta because of the fact that a high percentage of women are not active in the labour market however, there are no statistics covering the informal sector).
The Presidency Conclusions of the Barcelona European Council, which commit the Member States to eliminating obstacles to the participation of women in the labour market and to introducing by 2010 childcare for at least 90% of children between three years old and the mandatory school age, and for at least 33% of children under three years old stresses, that in order to achieve these objectives, the national, regional or local authorities must step up their financial contribution to the creation and/or operation of high-quality childcare services at affordable prices.
DISADVANTAGED WOMEN
Disadvantaged women are generally of low-self esteem, low education and lack the skills necessary for well paid employment. To encourage socio-economically disadvantaged women in employment, and to help raise their standard of living, access to free education and training is an imperative however, an holistic approach and within an holistic environment is recommended. Employment itself does not constitute adequate protection against extreme poverty, more women than men work in lower-paid jobs whilst it is often the case that social-security payments alone offer no protection against extreme poverty either. Having a job is the best way of ensuring social inclusion but structures must not be bogged down due to restrictive and inflexible measures. A job constitutes both a source of income and a means of social integration for families and individuals living in poverty since, apart from providing financial support, it promotes the participation of the individual in society as a whole and helps to develop the individual’s personality however, a job does not suffice for the purpose of development alone.
RELEVANT STATISTICS
According to NSO (Malta) (Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2005:
50% of working women (as at 2002) were working in occupations that required very low skills.
Salient Indicators (75/2007) 18.4% of females are in that category and at risk of poverty rate for inactive persons inMalta.
Single parent households at risk-of-poverty = 47.9% (NSO 80/2007)
The number of single mothers on parental benefits - 43.8 per cent of income was earned through social benefits (NSO:196/2003).Although much of the indicators are based on 2002 data, little has changed in this respect.
Whilst it may be the case that a considerable number of women do not wish to enter into gainful employment, a study with inactive women conducted by the Research and Development Unit of ETC in 2004 clearly showed that nearly half of all inactive women (44.8%) would consider working if they found the right conditions to do so.
POVERTY FACTORS
One of the major factors of poverty is caused by the fact that the majority of women tend to seek part- time work in order to better balance work and family/care responsibilities and therefore are mostly low-wage earners. Legislation to cover pro-rata social benefits and entitlements for those employed for less than 20 hours per week is soon to be enacted which could negate the exploitation and abuse by employers who engage part-timers for less than 20 hours per week to avoid having to pay social benefits and entitlements, however this will need to be monitored. Pro-rata N.I. contribution credits coupled with a low wage again would still yield an unsustainable pension. Flexible options, enjoyed in other countries and in some local private companies such as, Flexicurity, Flexi-Bank and job-sharing could be further explored and exploited. The number of women in part-time work in Malta(both below and above 20 hours) = part-timers 9,343 (19.4% of all employed women) – NSO 51/2007)
Few women, single or otherwise, rarely work the legally required number of 40 years in order to arrive at a full two thirds pension. Most women work fragmented working patterns and coupled with low wages and low NI contribution credits leads to an unsustainable retirement pension with risk of poverty due to a pension that grades below the National Minimum Pension and less than those on relief benefits! To obtain a non-contributory pension one must not posses more than LM6,000 in the bank. This risk of poverty and extreme deprivation affects women over the age of retirement. There needs to be an equitable parity between wage, cost of living and retirement pensions. Two-thirds of the population over the age of 65 in Europe are women and the failings of insurance and pension schemes affect mainly women who are in the weakest position in the labour market, working for fewer years, paid less than men or even perform unpaid work. Whilst the average disposable income for the Maltese households under the at-risk-of-poverty line stood at LM2,876, the average for the group of households stood at LM8,677. It was found that the highest rate, estimated at 79.1 percent was for persons living in households where social benefits (excluding pensions) were the main source of income. For households where no one was working the poverty rate stood at 39.6%. For households where pensions were the main source of income the poverty rate stood at 25.3%. (NAP, Soc, Inc. 2004-06 Professor Anthony M. Abela).
According to NSO (Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2005: Salient Indicators 75/2007) 18.4% of females are in that category and at risk of poverty rate for inactive persons in Malta. 50% of working women (as at 2002) were working in occupations requiring very low skills.
SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS
Single parent households Number: 1,984 (NSO 80/2007 – international day of families 2007). Some 970 single mother households, or 38.8 per cent, were located in the Northern Harbour district. On other hand 28.8 per cent were located in the Southern Harbour district, 13.2 per cent in the Northern district, 10.8 per cent in the Southern Eastern district, 4.4 per cent in the Western district, and 4.0 per cent in Gozo and Comino. The largest proportion of single mother households out of the total number of households within a district was found in the Southern Harbour district. In fact this value stood at 2.5 per cent within this district, compared with 2.4 per cent within the Northern Harbour district, 2.2 per cent within the Northern district, 1.6 per cent within the South Eastern district, 1.0 per cent in Gozo and Comino, and 0.7 per cent in the Western district. (NSO:196/2003)
Problems of domestic violence against women impairs their mental health, leaves them socially isolated and reduces their job performance, which has an adverse impact on their position in their workplace, moreover, a large percentage of homeless women have left their family home because of the violence inflicted on them and have reached the borderline of extreme social deprivation and poverty. The number of single-parent families has increased in recent years and members of those families run a considerably greater risk of falling into poverty. The majority of single-parent households are headed by a woman, which highlights even more the disadvantaged position of women in relation to poverty. The law in Malta has not instituted the right to divorce. On the one hand the law accedes to legal separations yet, fails to introduce any legislation to cover the rights of co-habiting couples. This lacuna in the law leave women financially vulnerable and at risk of poverty particularly as women live longer than men.
DATA AND INDICATOR REQUIREMENTS
Additional Data and gender-specific indicators with a view to measuring the impact of poverty and social exclusion on women are essential for both active and inactive women; the constraints they face, their hopes and their aspirations for a better quality of life, psychological make-up, working life patterns, average income (if in employment) and resulting pensions, the number of single women on pensions and the amount they receive, social and legal protection, mental and physical health care and whether or not those who do work in the informal market or, who are on relief benefits find it financially realistic at the end of the day to work in the formal market. The poorest women should be the leading partners in formulating, implementing and assessing equal opportunities policies, since women in situations of chronic poverty are obliged to accept their role and their responsibilities, including their role as mothers and just like any other woman they experience the same joys, have the same aspirations, feel the same fears and have the same doubts, but do so in much more difficult material circumstances than the majority of women. However, poverty among women cannot be fully eradicated unless due consideration is given to the role of men in the open coordination method and in national plans for employment and social inclusion. Number of single mothers on parental benefits - 43.8 per cent of income was earned through social benefits (NSO:196/2003)
POSITIVE ACTION
Positive actions should be developed to compensate for the structural barriers that some groups are facing in relation to the Labour Market. So far all attention has been put on adaptation of vulnerable groups to the demands of the labour market through activation schemes and by putting obligations on the individual unemployed to meet the expectations and qualification demands of the labour market. Whilst support activation and education of excluded groups is essential the general assumption is that excluded people need economic incentives to move towards the labour market has focused almost all attention on individual efforts and neglected the fact of structural barriers to the labour market for these groups.
Some of these structural barriers must be broken down by efforts from the labour market. The mismatch between competencies and demands of the labour market must be overcome by a better dialogue between market and excluded groups and by bridge building from two sides. If people furthest from the labour market should have a chance to find a job it takes co-operation and adaptation from the labour market.
People furthest from the labour must climb a ladder that lacks too many steps. The lack of instruments is the greatest shortcoming for realising the political goal of more excluded people into employment. However, some weak groups are already on the labour market, for instance physical disabled people. In this case society has accepted the need of compensatory arrangements to fulfil the political objective of disables’ participation on the labour market and has accepted the need of overcoming barriers. This example should be extended to other groups not to suffer discrimination.
Overall less attention has been paid by government to the eradication of poverty and the social aspects of the Lisbon Agenda than to price stability, cost-cutting and the budget deficit.
Statistics: (some included above)
There are 48,610 employed females. There are 4,085 unemployed females as at October/Dec. 2006 = around 2.5%. There are 113,588 inactive females.(NSO 51/2007)
35.001 females (26% of all females between the ages of 15-64) do not have a secondary level of education. They only have Primary education or no schooling.
(NSO 37/2007)
According to NSO (Structural Poverty and Social exclusion indicators, (75/2007) 18.4% of females are in that category and at risk of poverty rate for inactive persons in Malta. 50% of working women (as at 2002) were working in occupations requiring very low skills.
Single parent households at risk-of-poverty – 47.9% (NSO 80/2007)
Number of women in part-time work (both below and above 20 hours) - part-timers 9,343 (19.4% of all employed women) – NSO 51/2007)
Number of single mothers on parental benefits - 43.8 per cent of income was earned through social benefits (NSO:196/2003)
The number of single parent households and locations in Malta Number: 1,984 (NSO 80/2007 – international day of families 2007).
Some 970 single mother households, or 38.8 per cent, were located in the Northern Harbour district. On other hand 28.8 per cent were located in the Southern Harbour district, 13.2 per cent in the Northern district, 10.8 per cent in the Southern Eastern district, 4.4 per cent in the Western district, and 4.0 per cent in Gozo and Comino.
The largest proportion of single mother households out of the total number of households within a district was found in the Southern Harbour district. In fact this value stood at 2.5 per cent within this district, compared with 2.4 per cent within the Northern Harbour district, 2.2 per cent within the Northern district, 1.6 per cent within the South Eastern district, 1.0 per cent in Gozo and Comino, and 0.7 per cent in the Western district. (NSO:196/2003)
The percentage rate of At-Risk-of-Poverty in Malta for females is lower than the EU (27% is a threat for Maltabecause of the fact that a high percentage of women are not active in the labour market however, there are no statistics covering the informal sector). Although indicators in this respect are based on 2002 data, little has changed in this respect.
Reference:
European Parliament – from the 2004 Report for 2009- on Women and Poverty.
ETC – Gender Equality Action Plan 2007 – 2008.
NAP Document on Poverty and Social Exclusion (2004-2006)
National Strategic Reference Framework (2007-2013)
EAPN Green Paper 2007.
NSO Data from ETC
NAP/Draft Report Social Inclusion 2004-6. Prof. Anthony. M. Abela
