Call for material and Questionnaire for EWL members: impact of
budget cuts and austerity policies on women
Return to Collins@womenlobby.org and anna.elomaki@helsinki.fi by 15.9.2012
Following the EWL General Assembly issue group ‘Effects of the economic and financial crisis
on women in Europe,’ the EWL has decided to follow-up its publication “Invisible crisis?”
(published with Oxfam in 2010) with a new study. The study will focus on the gendered
effects of the current public sector crisis and austerity policies in place in several member
states. It will look at the effects that public sector layoffs and wage cuts, cuts in essential
public services and benefits, and reduced support for gender equality machinery and
women’s organisations have on the lives of women in Europe and on gender equality.
We seek information from EWL members to complement the official statistical data
available at the EU level. You can help us by answering some questions and sending us
material we can use. Together we can produce something great!
1. Call for material
1.1 Studies on the gendered impact of the crisis and budget cuts on women in your
country
Please send us any research done in your country on the gendered impact of the crisis, in
particular of the proposed and already implemented austerity budgets (preferably in the last
12 or 24 months), which have been carried out either by your organisation, other NGOs and
think tanks or government. If the research is available only in your national language, it
would be helpful if you could sum up the points you think are the most important in English
or French!
1.2 Personal stories of the impact of the crisis and cuts on women’s lives
The EWL is looking for short real life accounts of how the cuts are impacting on women
around Europe to illustrate the study. Examples: Have you lost your job due to public sector
layoffs or suffered from wage cuts? What impact does the cutting of child benefits have if
they are your only personal source of income? Have childcare or elderly care become less
available or unaffordable with the consequence you have quit your job or reduced your
working hours?
If your organisation has such stories available, or if you know someone who is willing to
share her story, please send one or two such stories to us. The stories can be anonymous.
2. Questions to answer
We are looking for data mainly on two topics: 1) funding for women’s rights (so far there is
no EU-wide information), this can also include changes in Equality bodies, whether they
have been reduced or dismantled; and 2) cuts in services and benefits. Please provide us
with any information you may have by answering the questions below and providing facts
and figures where possible. Any additional information is welcome.
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2.1 Funding for women’s rights in your country
Has the funding for institutional mechanisms for gender equality in your country been cut, if
so, by how much? What kind of impact have the cuts had on their work?
Has the funding for your organisation been reduced? If so, by how much and with what
impact on your work?
Describe the financial situation of other women’s organisations in your country (public
funding and private donor funding). How has the crisis impacted on the services provided by
these organisations or on their campaigning and activities?
2.2 Cuts in benefits and services in your country
Has the provision of public care services for children and other dependants or their price
been affected? If so, how?
Is there evidence that women are taking on more unpaid work, care work in particular, due
to weakening of public service provision?
Describe possible cuts in child and/or family benefits.
Describe possible changes in maternity leave and other statutory leave (pay level, length,
difficulties encountered on return to work, change in working contracts, working
conditions...)
Have there been cuts in services for women affected by violence? If so, how much and with
what impact (shelters, crisis centres, hotline ...)?
Describe cuts in health services and/or increased costs (particularly sexual and reproductive
health)
Describe cuts in pensions/social benefits on which many women depend.
Has the access to social welfare benefits (unemployment, sick benefit, others) become
more difficult? If so, how?
2.3. Any other issues
The study will also include a section on employment and wages. There is a lot of EU-level
information on the topic, but we would also welcome your insights on the topic.
Are there any other issues particularly important in your country that you would like to
comment on? Poverty, standard of living, discrimination, violence...
Thank you for your collaboration!
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