Prague, March 20 (CTK) – Over one-quarter of elderly women and 9 percent of elderly men over 65 who live alone are threatened by poverty, Tatana Gregor Kucharova presented Eurostat data on Tuesday at a press conference on the Czech participation in the UN commission for gender equality.
Kucharova runs a foundation that works with the elderly.
The average old-age pension of Czech women is more than 2,000 crowns lower than that of men.
According to Justice Minister Robert Pelikan (ANO), bridging the gap between remuneration of women and men belongs to the priorities of the acting cabinet.
“Gender inequality is closely associated with poverty in the old age. This is most marked in endangerment with poverty observed in single households. It ensues from the Eurostat data that in single households over the age of 65, 26 percent of women and 9 percent of men are threatened by poverty,” Kucharova said.
Czech women receive pensions lower by 18 percent than men. According to the Czech Government Office gender equality department data, men’s average old-age pension was 12,661 crowns and women’s pension 10,400 crowns in 2017.
Justice and Social Affairs Ministry and Employment Office data show that elderly women were receiving almost one-fifth of the housing allowances. These can be claimed by those who cannot cover their housing costs with 35 percent of their income in Prague, and with 30 percent of their income in other locations. The elderly of both genders were receiving the total of one-quarter of these allowances.
Kucharova said gender inequality originated already prior to women taking the maternity leave.
“Women under 30 earn 10 percent less than men in the same positions. It is 22 percent fewer in other age groups and 29 percent in [female] university graduates,” Pelikan said, noting he would like to support the possibility of increasing equality through sharing of the parental duties between men and women and the possibility of shortening the period during which the parent cares for the child at home.
About 1.9 percent of men take parental leave in the Czech Republic.
