Equal Opportunities for Older Women

The initiative is an initiative aimed at improving equal opportunities for older women through an organisation that pursues objectives which are independent of gender or age.

We defend the interests of "civil" widows - as opposed to war widows. The latter have always enjoyed recognition, whereas civil widows had no income at all unless they have worked.

1. Financial assistance for widows:
- Eligibility for childless widows too
-Raising of the income limit: presently widows' incomes may not total more than 3160FF widow's insurance + 791FF personal income = 802,33 Euros altogether
-Raising of financial assistance levels.

2. Surviving dependent's pension:
-Changing the age limit
-An increase of 10% per child in determining the upper limit: the relevant law passed in 1998 penalises mothers with more than two children whose own pension is added to their surviving dependent's pension.
-Adding together of the widow's own personal pension and her surviving dependent's pension: homogenisation of the upper limit in cases in which the widow can claim more than one surviving dependent's pension.

- Analysing the laws, texts and measures as well as the situation and practices with respect to widows and widowers;
- Reflecting on these topics;
- Establishing contact with politicians, in part together with other associations, such as the CNRPA, Comité National des Retraités et Personnes âgées (National Committee of Retirees and the Elderly);
- Informing our members;
-On a local level, our associations provide both support in dealing with the authorities and psychological counselling.

At the present time we have no successes to report because the relevant decisions will be made only within the framework of the national budget, which will be presented to parliament only in the last trimester of 2000.

- Our difficulties are not caused by ourselves but by the low level of interest on the part of the authorities in widows' issues.
- The lack of qualified volunteers is a further problem in our work.

The widows inform us of their difficulties. The FAVEC (Federation of Associations of Surviving Spouses) commissions concern themselves with finding possible solutions; they also present suggestions for improvements to the official decision-making bodies.

- In the first place with our members, i.e. 93 associations at the département level and 17 regional unions.
- Our co-operative network is far-reaching, as it also includes women's associations, senior citizens' associations and European associations.

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

7 salaried employees at the initiative.
5 volunteers/honorary members.
The total number of hours worked for the initiative is approx. 45 hours per week.

18,000FF (2,774 Euro)

Dangerfield et D. Prengères, 1998 : " Les retraites en 1997 : 6.800FF par mois pour retraités de 60 ans et plus", in Solidarité Santé, n 1
J. Lacroix, 1992 :" Les veuves de plus de 65 ans : trois sur cinq cummulent retraite personnelle et pension de réversion", in Solidarité Santé, n 3
C. Zaidman, 1998 : "L'individualisme des droits réduira-elle les inégalités hommes/femmes ?", in Droit social n 6
J. Andrian, octobre 1994 : "Le déroulement de la carrière professionnelle des femmes à la cinquantaine", in Gérontologie et Société, n 70
N. Cloarec, 2000 : "Les passages de l'emploi à la retraite", in Premières synthèses DARES 02 NS 1
C. Génisson : " Davantage de mixité professionnelle pour plus d'égalité entre hommes et femmes".
I. Théry : "Couples, filiation et parenté aujourd'hui".