Belgian feminist associations have called for fair and decent pensions for women, highlighting that on average, Belgian women receive pensions 28% lower than men.
This disparity is expected to worsen due to stricter rules on pension eligibility, particularly for those with interrupted career paths. Women are disproportionately affected because they are more likely to pause their careers to care for children or relatives.
Ten organizations, including Femma, Rebelle, and Furia, have issued an open letter condemning the situation. They point out that according to 2023 data from Statbel, 40% of Belgian women work part-time. Women also perform 68% of unpaid labor such as household tasks and caregiving, dedicating an average of 9.5 hours to domestic work each day.
The “World March of Women”, which organizes the International Women’s Day march on 8 March, criticized pension reforms as “supposedly neutral” but “deeply gendered.” They argue that these changes exacerbate women’s economic dependence and increase the burden of unpaid care work.
The Belgian Council of State echoed these concerns in an advisory opinion issued in February. It noted that women may struggle to meet the stricter career conditions for early retirement. Under the new rules, one career year will require 156 working days, up from the current 104 days. Only 62.5% of women currently eligible for early retirement would meet the new conditions, compared to 78.8% of men. Women failing to meet these requirements would face a pension penalty, a key aspect of the reform.
Feminist organizations demand that the initial rule of 104 working days for early retirement be reinstated. They also call for an exemption from pension penalties for individuals who can demonstrate 7,020 effective working days throughout their careers. Additionally, caregiving, parenting, and informal support must be fully recognized as legitimate contributions to professional life.
“Care work is essential to society, and it is unacceptable for those who provide it to face financial penalties,” declared organizations including the Council of Women, Femma, Rebelle, ACV, Zijkant, Ella vzw, Collectif 8 Maars, FOS, Furia, and ABVV (FGTB).
