HRW Report Highlights Gendered Poverty Crisis in Germany’s Social Security System

Berlin, Germany – March 25, 2025:

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported that Germany’s social security system fails to adequately protect women from poverty, breaching the country’s constitutional obligation to ensure minimum subsistence for its citizens. The 81-page report, titled “It Tears You Apart: Poverty and Gender in Germany’s Social Security System,” documents increasing poverty levels, particularly among single mothers and elderly women.

HRW found that women are disproportionately affected by poverty due to systemic inequalities in Germany’s labor and pension systems. Women makeup two-thirds of low-wage workers and often receive smaller pensions due to the exclusion of childrearing years in pension calculations. Additionally, they are overrepresented among single-parent households, which the government considers at high risk of poverty or social exclusion.

Despite Germany’s commitment to overhauling its social security system in 2021, political disagreements and inflation-driven cost increases have hindered significant reforms. Rising costs of living, exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and soaring energy prices, have worsened financial hardships. The report states that 14.4% of Germany’s population (12.1 million people) live in poverty, with 18% of those aged 65 and older at-risk women being the most vulnerable.

HRW’s research included interviews with 62 low-income individuals, discussions with single parents, and consultations with more than 20 non-governmental organizations and community groups across 10 German states. It highlights the struggles of individuals like a 71-year-old pensioner in North Rhine Westphalia, who said, “I stay under a blanket and drink tea, coffee, or soup to stay warm. There’s not much else to do.”

While the government introduced a Citizen’s Income in 2021 to improve social security, gaps remain. After accounting for housing costs, a single-parent household with two children receives €1,198 in benefits, while the poverty risk threshold stands at €1,626—a 26% shortfall. For single adults, the gap is even higher at 51%.

Germany’s constitutional principles mandate ensuring human dignity through adequate social security, yet HRW argues that current policies fall short. While coalition parties in ongoing negotiations have agreed to ease the country’s strict “debt brake” to allow increased spending, their priority remains defense and infrastructure rather than social security reforms.

HRW has urged the incoming government to address these issues urgently, emphasizing that strong social security is not only a human rights obligation but integral to Germany’s overall stability.

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