On the occasion of International Day of the Girl* on October 11th, the Vienna advice center springboard is drawing attention to an alarming development: the number of girls* and young women* who come to advice with financial concerns has doubled since the previous year. Girls* from families at risk of poverty are particularly affected.
This also applies to Alina, 16 years old, who was originally looking for support with career orientation. “My mother is a single parent, she can’t afford several years of training, I have to earn money quickly,” she says. Alina’s story is no exception: in the first half of 2024, 21% of springboard’s clients sought help because of financial worries, compared to 11% in the previous year.
More and more young women* have financial worries
Luise Wickrath, head of the “basis” project at springboard, emphasizes: “Poverty is almost always part of the advice. Issues such as education and health poverty are just as important as financial hardships. Many girls* drop out of their education to do unpaid care work at home or to take poorly paid jobs. Trans*, inter* and non-binary young people who come to us for advice are also affected by this.”
“The number of women* who come to advice with financial concerns is increasing, not just at springboard. Inflation, high costs for energy and housing – these are issues that women* all over Austria turn to advice centers about,” reports Sophie Hansal, managing director of the network of Austrian advice centers for women and girls.
Poverty among girls* often remains invisible
A current study by the FH Joanneum also shows that girls’ poverty is less visible than the poverty of young men. The reasons for this also lie in gender norms: a young woman* who breaks off her education to support her family at home, takes on housework, looks after her siblings or looks after her grandparents is less noticeable than a young man* who does the same does.
This type of poverty often goes unnoticed because girls* integrate more closely into family networks. Luise Wickrath knows that homelessness among young women* is often not recognized as such. “A client of mine did couch surfing for months after a break with her family, staying with a different friend every two weeks. Young women* or TIN* people often use their social networks first before going to emergency shelters or spending the night outside,” says the expert.
What it takes
Good education remains the most important factor in protecting against poverty and unemployment – but this often comes under pressure for young women*. Martina Fürpass, managing director of sprungbrett, demands: “There needs to be a fairer distribution of paid and care work, measures to combat inflation and high housing costs as well as the upgrading of classic women’s* jobs. Young women* need one thing above all: time and less pressure in order to be able to successfully shape their professional future.”
