Germany's Statistics Agency issued a warning ahead of International Women's Day that one in five women over the age of 65 is at risk of poverty. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that the

gender pension gap in Germany is almost 30%, which is one of the largest in the European Union.

The gender pension gap refers to the difference between men's and women's old-age income. In Germany, this gap is wider than the gender pay gap, with women earning 18% less per hour than men across all job sectors. This disparity is due to various factors, including the fact that women are more likely to work part-time and take career breaks to care for children, elderly or sick family members, and to carry out household tasks.

The report by the statistics agency suggests that the gap in pensions can be attributed to several factors, including lower incomes that drive down pension claims and a system that penalizes part-time work and career interruptions. These trends are more common among women, which is why elderly women are more likely to face poverty and struggle to pay rent.

The gender pension gap in Germany would be even wider if women were not able to receive pension claims due to their male partners, such as widow's pensions. If this were the case, the gender pension gap would be almost 43%.

In summary, the gender pension gap in Germany is a significant issue that contributes to the poverty and financial insecurity of elderly women. It is important to address this issue by implementing policies and practices that promote gender equality in the workplace and ensure that women have access to adequate and fair pension benefits. Photo by Sba2 at English Wikipedia.