The poverty situation in France has become alarming, particularly for women and children, according to the latest annual report from Secours catholique. The figures reveal that the median income of people benefiting from the association is only 538 euros per month, or a daily budget of 18 euros to cover all household needs.
This amount is well below the poverty line, set at 1,211 euros per month. Furthermore, taking into account inflation, these incomes fell by 7.6%, thus highlighting the growing impoverishment of the most deprived.
The consequences of this situation are multiple. Indeed, the people most affected are forced to make drastic choices, sacrificing heating or food to make ends meet. This invisible reality is particularly worrying because it endangers the health and well-being of the most vulnerable.
Women and children are particularly affected by this growing poverty. Households made up of a single adult are the majority among the association’s beneficiaries, with an over-representation of single mothers (25.7%) and single women (20.9%). These women are often faced with situations of family breakdown, which plunges them into increased precariousness, assuming sole responsibility for the education of their children.
This female precariousness has seen a constant increase in recent decades. While poverty initially affected men and women equally, women now represent 57.5% of the people met by the association, compared to 52.6% in 1999. This worrying development underlines the need to take specific measures to combat against this persistent social divide.
Faced with this reality, Secours catholique calls for a series of measures to stem poverty. In particular, he recommends the indexation of social minima to the minimum wage, the extension of the RSA and the simplification of administrative procedures to facilitate access to social benefits.
It is essential to highlight and raise public awareness of this issue. The fight against poverty can only be effective if it is based on precise knowledge of the situation and a desire for concrete action. It is by uniting our efforts that we can hope to provide lasting solutions and improve the lives of the most deprived in France.