Incomes, housing and feminisation of poverty | Gender in numbers

Financial resources are essential for people to be able to lead an independent life. Our society’s economic structure is based on a gender inequality where the socially and financially best-valued job positions are mainly held by men.

Gender analyses of poverty show us that there are other aspects, besides availability of material resources, such as a lack of time, work overload and state of health, which result in women suffering from not just poverty but also precariousness in a distinctive way.

Lastly, access to housing is indispensable for living with dignity and in safety, but separate patterns can be seen between women and men in Barcelona.

una dona amb un nen en braços sostè la seva cartera amb les mans i n'extreu un bitllet de l'interior

Inequality in income
Housing
Feminization of poverty

An important feature for understanding financial inequality between men and women is income from work. This is about the resources that come from paid work and positions held in the labour market. On the other hand, gender gaps in pensions or household incomes are also very important when it comes to understanding inequalities in income between men and women.

It is important to take account of housing from an accessibility point of view, though also as an asset that promotes security and stability. Men generally have more opportunities than women when it comes to owning properties, given the connection of such ownership to income and job stability. By contrast, women access dwellings more under social housing or rental systems.

Women are in a worse situation of poverty than men as a result of gender inequalities. In addition, the usual axes of inequality, such as age, origin, class and sexual orientation, create particular poverty-risk experiences. These lead to a lack of financial resources, but not just that. Also connected to precariousness are a lack of financial independence and unavailability of personal time, among other factors.