MIGAPE

The Gender Pension Gap (henceforth GPG) is measured as one minus the ratio of the average pensions of women and men. GPGs are the result of the fact that women participate less in the labor market compared to men, and, if at work, work fewer hours and earn lower wages. However, GPGs can be reduced by the redistributive elements embedded in pension systems. Lack of awareness by women of the consequences of labor market decisions on the future pension may be an important reason for the continued existence of the GPG. Objectives and activities: 1. Use standard simulation techniques to show the consequences of labour market decisions on the future pension benefit of women. 2. Use microsimulation techniques to show the impact of various factors on the GPGs and the adequacy of women’s pensions. 3. Assess the psychological aspects of labour market decisions through survey and experiment. It will study comparative optimism in the expected pension and how this might affect labour market behaviour, as well as communication issues and framing effects. Expected results: The project should contribute to raised awareness among citizens (women and men) of the consequences of their employment decisions. Secondly, it should inform policy makers and other stakeholders about the impact of various labor market and pension system characteristics on existing and future GPGs. Deliverables include publications accessible to a wide audience, presentations, a conference and a dedicated website. Target groups: Stakeholders of policy makers and other organizations will be involved in the project, both on the EU level and in each participating Member State. Through these, the results will be made accessible to all citizens. In each Member State, a supporting stakeholder organization will be engaged, which will ensure that the results will be continue to be disseminated and updated after the end of the project.