Nearly universal, but somewhat distinct: The feminization of poverty in affluent Western democracies, 1969–2000

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in EconStor may ABSTRACTOur study extends research on the feminization of poverty by analyzing the variation in women's, men's and feminized poverty across affluent democracies from 1969 to 2000. Specifically, we address three issues. First, we provide more recent estimates of adult women's and men's poverty and the ratio of women's to men's poverty with two different poverty measures. We suggest that by incorporating the elderly, the feminization of poverty may be greater than previously estimated. The feminization of poverty is nearly universal across affluent Western democracies 1969-2000. Second, we show that women's, men's and overall poverty are highly correlated, but the feminization of poverty diverges as a distinct social problem. Third, we find that women's, men's and overall poverty share several correlates, particularly the welfare state, though some differences exist. At the same time, several of our findings differ with past research. The feminization of poverty is only influenced by social security transfers, single motherhood, and the sex ratios of the elderly and labor force participation. While power resources theory probably best explains women's, men's and overall poverty, structural theory may best explain the feminization of poverty. We conclude by discussing how analyses of the feminization of poverty contribute to debates on poverty and gender inequality.

Poverty and Old Age in Scandinavia: A Problem of Gendered Injustice? Evidence from the 2010 GERDA Survey in Finland and Sweden

“…The problem of oldage poverty, or the 'feminization of poverty' (cf. Brady and Kall 2008;Pearce 1978), does indeed seem to be a problem facing today's older populations, and this is something that needs to be addressed and discussed in the public sphere, since it may have implications for the overall wellbeing of older people.…”

“…Brady and Kall 2008) gained ground in the 1970s as a reaction to the fact that the income poverty risk for women had increased in relation to that of men (Lister 2004;Bianchi 1999). Still today this remains a problem, both among people in working age and older people (Brady and Kall 2008), and it is often considered as a structural disadvantage inherent in the contemporary welfare states of Western democracies (e.g. Walker and Maltby 2014).…”

“…Brady and Kall 2008;Pearce 1978), and it has been suggested that this problem is connected to the overall weaker labour-market position of women, lower income levels and their larger shares of the responsibility for domestic care [Tuominen, Nyman and Lampi 2011;Statens offentliga utredningar (SOU) 2003]. Accordingly, women's careers are characterised by a higher incidence of career brakes due to family leaves, part-time employment, and so-called a-typical contracts that make them more exposed to lower incomes and thus lower pensions in old age.…”

Analysis of Poverty Among the Elderly in South Africa Using the 2018 GHS Data

“…Mohanty and Sinha (2010) use a simple measure of deprivation and conclude that poverty among the elderly living in nuclear households was higher compared to that among the elderly co-residing with children or non-elderly households. Brady and Kall (2007) investigated the gender facet of poverty and the findings reiterate gender as a striking factor that influences old age poverty. A poverty assessment in Ghana report demographic idiosyncrasies including the combination for elderly women, widowhood and lack of adult children was frequently associated with chronic vulnerability (Norton, Aryeety, Korboe, & Dogbe, 1995).…”

The Road to Grandma's House: The Daily Experiences of Economically Disadvantaged Elderly Women in Rural and Urban Ottawa

“…The "feminization of poverty" as a concept has been well researched and defined within feminist academic literature. The feminization of poverty refers to the disproportionate levels of poverty that women face due to systemic discrimination (Brady and Kall, 2008). The term has been used since the late 1970s, but typically focuses on the ways in which poverty is concentrated among younger women (Barusch, 1994: xxiii).…”