Research project AG/JJ/144 (Research action AG)
The current income data offer little information about the differences in income between men and women. This information is available for single persons, but for couples the analysis is made on the basis of an assumption of an equal distribution between men and women. This lack of information is a serious obstacle for a good policy preparation and for income and/or gender research.
It is important to have a clear picture of the income differences between men and women. Firstly, income is a fundamental factor in our society; it is both the cause and the effect of people’s social status. Differences between men and women with regard to their income touch the core of gender inequality. Secondly the analysis of poverty risks on the level of households offers a snapshot, but it contains little information on the social insecurity of the household members in case of a break up. In the context of family destabilization this is a relevant question. The current data do not pay enough attention to the relationship between (the personal access to) income and events during life. The cost of having children, in the sense of short or long term or future loss of income is disproportionately carried by women. The high poverty risks of older single women are directly related to the gender differences in accumulated pension rights. Finally, the equal distribution within families is in fact a myth. The allocation processes within families and the differences with regard to the level and pattern of consumption are not taken into account. A thorough analysis of gender and income also contains the degree to which men and women have access to financial means and carry responsibilities within the family.
The project is based on a thorough analysis on an individual level of the current income situation of men and women for the different sources of information. For this purpose coded data are used. A working method must be developed as well as indicators. Making this method available and putting together a database with data on gender and income will ensure the calculation of the indicators in the future and also stimulate further research on this subject.
Gender en inkomen: analyse en ontwikkeling van indicatoren (BGIA) : samenvatting
Brussel : Federaal Wetenschapsbeleid, 2009 (SP2157)
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Genre et revenu: analyse et développement d'indicateurs (BGIA) : résumé
Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2009 (SP2158)
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Gender and income: analysis and development of indicators (BGIA) : summary
Brussels : Federal Science Policy, 2009 (SP2159)
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Genre et revenu. Analyse et développement d'indicateurs : rapport de recherche
Meulders, Danièle - O'Dorchai, Sile - Plasman, Robert ... et al Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2012 (SP2512)
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Gender and income. Analysis and development of indicators : final report
Meulders, Danièle - O'Dorchai, Sile - Plasman, Robert ... et al Brussels : Federal Science Policy, 2012 (SP2513)
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