Geschlechtergerechtigkeit in der Alterssicherung?

Ungleichheit zwischen den Renten von Männern und Frauen – Befunde, Ursachen, Maßnahmen

Abstract

In Germany, pensions of women are much lower than those of men – compared to other countries, the gender pension gap is large. Against the background of the structure of the German pension system, the contribution aims to describe the inequalities between pensions of men and women, to analyse the causes of these inequalities and to discuss these findings in light of normative debates around (gender) equity and justice. The interplay between systemic characteristics of the employment-centred German pension system with the life courses of women is identified as central cause of the high gender pension gap. Women’s employment is more discontinuous, more often parttime and in low-paid jobs mainly because they perform the bulk of unpaid care work. After discussing the normative implications of gender inequalities in pensions and its causes, the contribution concludes by presenting measures against these inequalities which especially target the employment trajectories of women and men and a more equal participation in unpaid care work.