Austerity. From the left to the right, governments have only that one word on their lips. The European parliament’s elections are approaching (in May) and there are fears everywhere that the tidal wave of extreme right-wing movements will swell, with Brussels being blamed for austerity policies, and thus for recession and unemployment. This situation has led to an explosion in the rejection of foreigners and refugees, and to a demand, by a large part of the European population, for xenophobic and authoritarian policies.
Demanding budget cuts, which in practice have a direct impact on public services including healthcare and education, is not only the bedrock of populism, authoritarianism or social unrest. It is also a frontal attack on the rights of women who tend to be more dependent on these services, which can shift the burden of unpaid care work from their shoulders onto social systems.
Cleaning, cooking and looking after dependent family members – children, elderly people and people with disabilities – are still largely seen as “women’s affairs”. In France, women do 64% of the country’s unpaid care and domestic work, spending at least the same time on this as on paid activities.
