Dreyer told the “Tagesspiegel” on Thursday that equality between women and men was “an incredibly difficult task.” The SPD politician added: “It won’t work today without further structural changes, such as the quota.” A cultural change is needed. Women also have to become braver. “The fact that the pay gap is decreasing in the long term is progress, but we need more speed.”
The Verdi union called for “fair conditions and good pay that guarantee women’s independent livelihoods as a prerequisite for a self-determined life – in trade, in all sectors, in Europe”. Board member Silke Zimmer explained that women in particular are “all too often fobbed off with low wages and are then dependent on additional social benefits.” This is degrading, and poverty in old age is inevitable.
According to a recent survey, 56 percent of women rate their financial security for old age as poor or very poor. For men, the proportion is significantly lower at 45 percent, as shown by the survey by the consumer portal Verivox.
Only 36 percent of women, but 48 percent of men, see themselves as being in good or very good shape for their age. Seven out of ten women fear that they will have to restrict themselves financially when they reach retirement age. For men, this applies to almost two thirds or 63 percent.
On the occasion of Women’s Day, the Left called for effective measures against the multiple burdens on women. “We have to move towards a society in which caring for children and relatives who need to be cared for is valued just as highly as work in offices and on construction sites,” says a paper by party leader Janine Wissler and the chairwoman of the Die Linke group in the Bundestag , Heidi Reichinnek.
In order for women to escape the “multiple burden trap”, work must be distributed fairly. What is needed, among other things, is “measures to reduce working hours with the aim of a four-day week”, a ban on unfounded fixed-term contracts, equal pay for work of equal value and an increase in the minimum wage.
The deputy CDU chairwoman Silvia Breher accused the traffic light coalition of failure. Breher criticized that she had “created a standstill in women’s politics in our country.” Neither progress has been made in economic equality nor in protecting women from violence.
The workers’ welfare organization demanded that the state must guarantee protection for women from violence. “We finally need a federal law that guarantees the right to protection and advice for every woman affected by violence and her children,” emphasized AWO President Kathrin Sonnenholzner. The law must also regulate “the adequate financing of the assistance system with women’s shelters, protective housing, specialist advice centers for domestic and gender-specific violence, intervention centers and work with perpetrators”.
The President of People’s Solidarity, Susanna Karawanskij, emphasized the special role of women in peacekeeping and conflict resolution: “Studies have shown that peace agreements that are actively shaped by women are more sustainable because the agreements better take into account the needs and interests of the entire population. “
With regard to refugee women, Karawanskij added that it is important that they “know their rights in Germany, understand and be able to name their situation, their needs and needs.” However, they continue to be underrepresented in language learning or integration courses, clubs and other forms of social participation.
