Fall in female pensioners facing poverty

More than half of female retirees in Cyprus fell into the “at risk of poverty” category in 2009, according to figures just released by the Statistical Service.
The rate for retired women was 50.5% in 2009, up from 50.3% in 2008 but down from a peak of 52.1% before the communist-led government of Akel took power.
However, Akel cannot boast that its increase in social transfers has reduced the overall poverty risk rate.
In 2009 the at risk of poverty rate for the whole country was16.2%, the same as in 2008 and in fact up from a low of 15.5% in 2007, presumably as a result of rising unemployment.
The at risk rate for unemployed people rose from 32% in 2008 to 32.8% in 2009.
The persistent risk of poverty rate (at risk for multiple years) also rose, from 5% in 2008 to 5.7% in 2009.
While the female retired are the most likely to be at risk of poverty, employed males are the least likely, with an at risk rate of 6.8%, up from 6.2% in 2008.
According to the Statistical Service, the at-risk-of poverty threshold is set at 60% of the “national median equivalised disposable income”.
Equivalised income is measured by taking household disposable income and using OCED methodology to give different weights for different members of the household. For example, children are weighted less than adults.