Poverty harder to bear for women and children, French report claims
Poverty is getting worse in France and women and children are suffering the most, the Secours Catholique warned in its annual report.
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Until the 2000s, women and men were impacted equally when it came to poverty, but women are now facing a more precarious situation, according to the French charity Secours Catholique.
In its annual report, it found that women now represent 57.5 percent of the beneficiaries of charity, compared to 52.6 percent in 1999.
In total, Secours catholique helped a million people last year, who benefited from various services, such as food aid or social support.
Households made up of only one adult represented 75 percent of those in need, with 25.7 percent of those single mothers and 20.9 percent single women.
Many of them came to get help after a separation or divorce.
Decline in income
"Women bear more of the weight of marital breakdowns" and "too often assume the responsibility of children alone," the organisation found.
Data from 49,250 recipients' forms showed that the average income of people stood at €538 per month in 2022.
This represents a daily budget of €18 to meet all household's needs. This is less than 50 percent of what is considered the poverty threshold, the organisation said.
Taking into consideration the inflation which has pushed up the prices of food and energy, this represents a decline of 7.6 percent in income.
"The poorest are hit by inflation, the noose is tightening, the deprivations are greater on things not necessarily visible, such as heating or food", Adelaïde Bertrand, general delegate of the organisation told French news agency AFP.
To fight against poverty, the association recommends indexing the social minima to the minimum wage, extending the government support scheme (RSA) and making social services more accessible.
(with newswires)
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