Women ‘more likely to live in poverty’

FEMALES in Fermanagh are more likely to experience poverty than local males as the economic challenges of running a household and the cost of living crisis continues to rip through the county.
Prior to Christmas, it was reported that residents and families in Fermanagh were grappling with a serious poverty crisis, with the district recording the highest rate of fuel poverty in the North.
Rural areas in the county were the worst affected where it was believed that 20-per-cent of the local population are living in relative poverty. It’s significantly higher than the regional average.
Fermanagh Women’s Aid has now revealed that females are more likely to experience poverty, according to the ‘Ending Violence Against Women’s and Girls Strategy: Be the Change Toolkit’.
“Poverty is gendered. Women are more likely to live in poverty than men,” the report read.
“This is due to the gender pay gap, occupational segregation, women’s caring duties, lack of access to affordable childcare and the distribution of finances within households.
“Women are almost twice as likely to be dependent on social universal credit than men and have been disproportionately impacted by welfare reform and changes to social security.”
The situation has been further compounded by the latest decision around the awarding of benefits, with the UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, making some radical cuts in her recent budget.
A reported 33-per-cent of women, equivalent to a third of the population in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, said that changes to the benefits system could result in relative poverty.
“Women’s Budget Group found changes in benefits such as changing the benefit cap, increasing child benefit, rank particularly high for parents of very young children under four,” said the report.
The county continues to record high number of domestic violence cases, with over 500 females and children turning to Fermanagh Women’s Aid for support and help over the past 12 months.
While steps are being taken to support the likes of Women’s Aid in their work, CEO of the Fermanagh branch, Kerrie Flood, pictured below, feels that men’s attitudes towards females must change.
“We have particular difficulties around the messages that young men are receiving and where they’re getting that from,” the Fermanagh Women’s Aid CEO explained to the ‘Herald.
“But the problem is wider than our young people. It’s an entire society and our ‘Violence against Women and Girls Strategy’ is trying to tackle all aspects of this.”
It was recently reported that Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will receive £135,000 over two years to help implement the new ‘Ending Violence Against Women and Girls’ strategy.