• Membership Signup
  • Events Calendar
  • Newsletter Archive

Logo

Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network
Unit 13A, Ballysaggart Business Complex
8 Beechvalley Way, Dungannon, Tyrone. BT70 1BS
Telephone: 028 8775 3389    Email: info@nirwn.org

Navigation
  • Home
  • About NIRWN
  • Our Work
    • Childcare
    • Rural Transport
    • Social Isolation, Health & Wellbeing
    • Education & Training
    • Poverty & The Economy
    • Rural Development
    • Rural Women & Peacebuilding
    • Women’s Regional Consortium
    • Funding Opportunities
  • Policy
    • Policy
    • Rural Women’s Manifesto
    • Useful Research Reports
  • Events Calendar
  • Latest News
  • Membership
  • Contact Us

Poverty & The Economy

rural-women-povertyHousehold incomes, poverty rates and the labour market have all worsened in the last five years. The farming and the construction industry, which once sustained and extended families through male employment can no longer do so. This has resulted in the need for rural women to take on extra work or return to the workplace, often in P/T, low paid jobs.

Paid work is not equal for women and men. 2/3 of those earning minimum wage or below are women and women’s annual earnings are on average 33% below that of men. The poverty rate for pensioners is higher in NI than in other parts of GB with nearly half a  million pensioners in NI living below the poverty line, including fuel poverty.

Women are outliving men in a population which is living longer but lacks the infrastructure to support this emerging demographic. Many rural women have embraced self-employment and entrepreneurship but would like support to achieve sustained business success. They require networking opportunities, mentoring and training support and support that is not just focused on extra job creation and export. Rural women would also like embryonic start up business support that is not focused on farm diversification, for those women who are considering self-employment but do not live on a farm.

Without a thriving rural economy, rural way of life is under threat.

 We call on decision makers to:

  • Introduce a dedicated women’s employment strategy to address the dominance of women in low paid work
  • Take account of the effect of the economy on older women and take measures to mitigate against  pensioner poverty
  • In consultation with rural business women; create a sustained support structure for small rural business  owners
  • Address inadequate infrastructure support such as poor mobile telephone coverage, including roaming  charges in border areas and lack of Broadband  provision to enable rural businesses to flourish

Follow Us on Twitter

@nirwnnews

Latest News

  • Celebrate #IWD2019

    12th February 2019 0 Comment
  • NIRWN meet with Tánaiste Simon Coveney

    12th February 2019 0 Comment
  • Women & Brexit Event

    9th November 2018 0 Comment
  • NIRWN Changes

    3rd October 2018 0 Comment
  • NIRWN meet with Michel Barnier

    4th May 2018 0 Comment
  • Home
  • About Northern Ireland Rural Women’s Network
  • Contact Us
© 2018 Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network
Website by Linkni.com Web Design Northern Ireland