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CONCEPCIÓN DANCAUSA
Secretary of State for Social Affairs
“Women should be the priority object
of attention in ageing policies”
Women make up the majority of the over- Women have a higher life expectancy measures. This has come about in such a
60's world population. What protection do than men and many of them live alone. This way that any policy action has to take gender
they receive and what measures for situation makes them especially differences into account. The National
improvement are there? vulnerable. Would you be in favour of Employment Plan of the Kingdom of Spain is
specific policies that improve the position one example of this.
One of the characteristics of the ageing of elderly women?
population phenomenon throughout the Are solutions for the benefit of the main
world is the gender difference. Estimated We are of course aware of this vulnerability needs of the elderly female group to be
forecasts state that in 2025, 15.5 per cent and of the need for widowed women to proposed at the Second World Assembly
of the overall population will be women over continue improving their pensions, as they on Ageing?
60, as compared with 12.6 per cent who will have been doing in recent years.
be men of the same age. In Spain, according One of the many issues to be tackled at
to the “Report 2000. The Elderly in Spain”, Continuing to reinforce the Social Security this Second World Assembly on Ageing, which
there are a million more elderly females, system is fundamental. The Pensions Act is being held in Madrid, is that of gender and
that is to say, 3,780,000 women as against 1997 reform established the guarantee of the ageing, and especially how women are
2,723,000 men. maintenance of the buying power of all affected by this process.
pensions in line with the Consumer Price
As regards the Spanish women within the Index (CPI). Within the framework of the An International Action plan on Ageing and
pensions system, it can be noted that around Toledo Pact and the Agreement to improve a Policy Declaration will emerge from this
2,300,000 women are recipients of a widow’s and develop the social protection system, the Assembly. This will become an effective tool
pension. On the other hand, in terms of pensions of widows and orphans are in time and will be adapted to the different
retirement pensions, we can see that 68 per becoming the object of improvement. There is circumstances and countries in which it will
cent of the total number of pensioners -which also an improvement in the percentage for be applied. The incorporation of a gender
amounts to 4,800,00 people- are men, whereas the calculation of the widow’s pension, which perspective into the Plan as a transversal
32 per cent are women. If we refer to non- is set to rise from 45 per cent to 52 per cent issue and the measures for it to be
contributory pensions, women are in the of the regulatory base. implemented in practice in the future is
majority of recipients in this scheme, with a going to be an essential issue.
total of 356,901, as against 125,628 men. This percentage is currently set at 46 per
cent, although it is set at 70 per cent in the Women should be the priority object of
This situation is changing due to the case of widows with family obligations and attention in ageing policies. This is not only
incorporation of women into the job market. the Agreement guarantees a framework of because they represent the greater
This will have a bearing on the pensions that compatibilities for those who wish to re- percentage of the population over 60 and
they receive in the future. Governments have marry. have a higher life expectancy, but also
to support and provide incentives for this because of the different types of
world incorporation at the same time as In addition to the social protection policies discrimination that they suffer at the
developing policies of equality. aimed at women, the continuity of specific stages of their lives have consequences
gender policies in all fields is of special when they are older.
Nevertheless, we cannot forget that there relevance. These are formulated in such a
are many women who are currently way that positive action is applied and action
performing their work in the family setting. plans are being urged at state, regional and
Their contribution to the development of local levels.
countries is fundamental. However, such
activities do not usually get the social From the basis of the Peking Action
recognition they deserve. Platform (1995), there has been a drive for
transversality, in addition to specific
20 Sesenta y más
CONCEPCIÓN DANCAUSA
Secretary of State for Social Affairs
“Women should be the priority object
of attention in ageing policies”
Women make up the majority of the over- Women have a higher life expectancy measures. This has come about in such a
60's world population. What protection do than men and many of them live alone. This way that any policy action has to take gender
they receive and what measures for situation makes them especially differences into account. The National
improvement are there? vulnerable. Would you be in favour of Employment Plan of the Kingdom of Spain is
specific policies that improve the position one example of this.
One of the characteristics of the ageing of elderly women?
population phenomenon throughout the Are solutions for the benefit of the main
world is the gender difference. Estimated We are of course aware of this vulnerability needs of the elderly female group to be
forecasts state that in 2025, 15.5 per cent and of the need for widowed women to proposed at the Second World Assembly
of the overall population will be women over continue improving their pensions, as they on Ageing?
60, as compared with 12.6 per cent who will have been doing in recent years.
be men of the same age. In Spain, according One of the many issues to be tackled at
to the “Report 2000. The Elderly in Spain”, Continuing to reinforce the Social Security this Second World Assembly on Ageing, which
there are a million more elderly females, system is fundamental. The Pensions Act is being held in Madrid, is that of gender and
that is to say, 3,780,000 women as against 1997 reform established the guarantee of the ageing, and especially how women are
2,723,000 men. maintenance of the buying power of all affected by this process.
pensions in line with the Consumer Price
As regards the Spanish women within the Index (CPI). Within the framework of the An International Action plan on Ageing and
pensions system, it can be noted that around Toledo Pact and the Agreement to improve a Policy Declaration will emerge from this
2,300,000 women are recipients of a widow’s and develop the social protection system, the Assembly. This will become an effective tool
pension. On the other hand, in terms of pensions of widows and orphans are in time and will be adapted to the different
retirement pensions, we can see that 68 per becoming the object of improvement. There is circumstances and countries in which it will
cent of the total number of pensioners -which also an improvement in the percentage for be applied. The incorporation of a gender
amounts to 4,800,00 people- are men, whereas the calculation of the widow’s pension, which perspective into the Plan as a transversal
32 per cent are women. If we refer to non- is set to rise from 45 per cent to 52 per cent issue and the measures for it to be
contributory pensions, women are in the of the regulatory base. implemented in practice in the future is
majority of recipients in this scheme, with a going to be an essential issue.
total of 356,901, as against 125,628 men. This percentage is currently set at 46 per
cent, although it is set at 70 per cent in the Women should be the priority object of
This situation is changing due to the case of widows with family obligations and attention in ageing policies. This is not only
incorporation of women into the job market. the Agreement guarantees a framework of because they represent the greater
This will have a bearing on the pensions that compatibilities for those who wish to re- percentage of the population over 60 and
they receive in the future. Governments have marry. have a higher life expectancy, but also
to support and provide incentives for this because of the different types of
world incorporation at the same time as In addition to the social protection policies discrimination that they suffer at the
developing policies of equality. aimed at women, the continuity of specific stages of their lives have consequences
gender policies in all fields is of special when they are older.
Nevertheless, we cannot forget that there relevance. These are formulated in such a
are many women who are currently way that positive action is applied and action
performing their work in the family setting. plans are being urged at state, regional and
Their contribution to the development of local levels.
countries is fundamental. However, such
activities do not usually get the social From the basis of the Peking Action
recognition they deserve. Platform (1995), there has been a drive for
transversality, in addition to specific
20 Sesenta y más
