Research reveals gender gaps in perceptions of economic security and social protections across countries

Gender gaps are known to persist in social and economic outcomes in most countries, but less well known is how women and men perceive their economic security and their benefits from social programs.

New research published in the International Social Security Review investigated this topic through surveys completed by individuals in 27 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization that was founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade.

Survey responses indicated that, compared with men, women are more concerned about economic security and less confident that their country’s social protection system will support them. About half of women felt that they could not easily receive public benefits if they needed them, compared with 43% of men. This perceived inaccessibility likely reflects gender gaps in perceived hassles associated with social program applications as well as women’s lower social security contributions.

“Women were less satisfied with the accessibility and adequacy of social programs relative to men,” said corresponding author Valerie Frey, PhD, MPhil, senior economist at the OECD, in France. "Much of this likely derives from gender gaps in social security contributions, but at the same time, some social programs that appear to promote gender equality nevertheless inadvertently disadvantage women. We hope this study will encourage social ministries to apply more of a ‘gender lens’ in their program design and reform.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/issr.12374

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International Social Security Review stands as the premier quarterly global journal in social security. We welcome insightful articles offering comparative critical analysis of national social security systems and international trends in policy and administration. Stay updated on the latest research and trends in the field with regular publication reviews.

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