Equal Opportunities for Older Women

The initiative came from a radio interview with the sociologist G. Heuer (Kiel) in 1978, who said: "There ought really to be a trade union for housewives. If 1000 women get in touch spontaneously, then I will found that trade union ..."
The background is that mothers are the only people who have to work without any social insurance of their own. There was no association to represent the demand for social insurance for those women.

Given that women are gradually abandoning family work, or look upon it as an additional burden to their job or profession, there is little reason to expect that the demand for social insurance for this work will soon be fulfilled.

- Postcard campaign "Yellow card" with the text: "Pension is payment for a life's contribution" (1995);
- "Red card" with the text: "An end to pension fouls" (1997);
- Signature campaign "Pensions not Roses" 1994/5;
- Petition for implementation of the Constitutional Court judgement (7.7.1992), petition of 29.7.1995 was rejected in 1998;
- Support for model court proceedings in the form of legal advice and PR work: Older mothers petition against the unjust evaluation of their contribution to the upbringing of children (current value in Germany: DM 43.50 penion per month for the upbringing of one child).

Currently plans are being made for the eventuality that widows' pensions are reduced.

There has been very good public response, expressed, among other things, in an (unfortunately only) minimum increase in the basis for assessing upbringing periods when calculating a mother's pension: from 75% to 85% in 1998 and finally 90% in 1999. We have also had a positive response from women politicians, in the CDU/CSU in particular.

One major problem is a lack of funds. As the dhg receives no public money, it cannot finance large-scale campaigns.
We constantly have to battle with the patience of the courts. All the courts in all instances acknowledge the justice of our demands, but believe that politicians have to be given more time.

During court proceedings, the courageous plaintiff receives as much support as she wishes or needs, counselling, including the formulation of official statements/documents, and representation at court. The dhg press officer takes responsibility for all the PR work.
Older women are also present on our information stands.

We have always worked with the Widow's Association and lately with the FEFAF - Fédération Européenne des Femmes au Foyer and MMM Mouvement Mondial des Mères. We exchange information and organise joint publications.

We are available for people interested in receiving more information on our initiative by phone, post or e-mail.

5 volunteers/honorary members.

Faltblatt "Familienarbeit und Alterssicherung"; Bericht in unserer Zeitschrift "Familienarbeit heute"; die Broschüre zur Klagevorbereitung ist leider vergriffen. (Folder on family work and security in old age; report in our magazine "Familienarbeit heute"; unfortunately the brochure on preparing to make a petition is out of print.)

J. Borchert: Renten vor dem Absturz, 1993
M. Veil et al. (Hrsg.): Am modernen Frauenleben vorbei, 1992
J. Poetschke: Im Dickicht der Rentenversicherung, in: Familienarbeit heute 3/99, herausgegeben von der dhg

It is important for women to themselves become politically active, because male politicians are not in the least bit interested in the concerns of older women, as can be seen from the current debates on pensions.