Bolzano – This Sunday, tributes to the mothers will once again be announced from many quarters. “Praise to the mothers, and what they do is beneficial and a nice gesture,” says the Green state parliament member and EU candidate for Alleanza Verdi/Sinistra Brigitte Foppa.
In this context, she reminds us that motherhood should not become a downfall. “When a family is founded, it is often the case that in the general chaos and the difficulties of reorganizing herself, the woman ‘stays at home’, as it is expressed. This description involves a decision by both partners that one person (usually the man) remains fully employed and the other person (most often the woman) takes on the care and parenting work – unpaid. “This makes the entire family situation easier at the moment, but it has dramatic consequences for women’s working lives – and especially for their pension,” says Foppa.
A fifth of women quit in the first year of their child’s life. Returning to work means a career break. If they were reinstated, women would earn less, men would have preceded them in their careers and in most cases it would not be possible to catch up. The effect is that women at the age of 55 only have half the pension income compared to men. Once retirement age is reached, women receive 869 euros and men 1,626 euros.
“We have to be aware of all of this and we also have to react socially and politically. Balanced, partnership-based parenting time models are a good approach. The disadvantages are shared, as are the joys of parenting. Freedom of choice and financial support for loss of earnings must be guaranteed by public authorities. Only when being a woman is no longer a disadvantage can you say from the bottom of your heart: Happy Mother’s Day!” said the Greens
From: mk