Sir, - Padraig O'Morain writes (The Irish Times, August 25th) that "the gap between the poor and the better off is widening . . . the National Economic and Social Forum has said . . . The risk of poverty has increased for women." This applies not only to Ireland but to the world at large. Poverty will not be eradicated until society changes its attitude towards the value of work - every sort of work.
The current crisis in fostering is very much to the point. We are told that the value and status of fostering should change, to become more "professional," and receive an appropriate professional salary. Why cannot this be done for mothers and carers in general?
Our group has consultative status with the UN. The Irish Government paid for us to go to New York two months ago to examine how much progress had been made in women's affairs since the Beijing Platform of Action of 1995, when 1,500 non-government groups from all over the world agreed that one fundamental obstacle to the elimination of poverty was the failure to set a monetary value on the unwaged work of women and the consequent failure to ensure that that work is paid for.
At that time, Sakiko FukudaParr (director of the UN Human Development Report office) declared: "Women's unpaid work is the key to everything about women.
We have to face the fact that some Pandora's boxes should be opened." So far, there has been a great deal of talk, but no box-lid has yet been lifted. - Yours, etc.,
Margaretta D'Arcy, (Women in Media and Entertainment), St Bridget's Place Lower, Galway.