The invisible threat of poverty, misery and segregation is becoming visible and taking as almost normal. On the other side the World Bank is trying to press governments, especially in new Member States, to continue to reduce social rights.

If the EU leaves the more vulnerable Member States outside the euro area exposed to the vagaries of the financial markets, then those Member States will have no choice but to turn to international financial institutions, particularly the IMF. However, the IMF's track record is well known : in exchange for foreign currency loans, countries are forced to cut anything social : wages, social spending, workers' rights and public services.

The weakest and most vulnerable group is retired elderly women, especially those with the lowest pension benefits. The at-risk-of-poverty rate in the European Union is higher for older women (20%) than for older men (15%). In the future, the proportion of people aged over 75 living at risk of poverty could be 30% or more in many EU Member States, with women exposed more than men.

The resolution calls for 'EU institutions to strengthen the EU's role in decreasing the impact of the economic crisis on older people and pensioners'.

Within this it outlines the importance of keeping the European Social Model which they argue is under attack by the World Bank and IMF; the increasing concerns around continuing gender inequality, pay gaps and poor career prospects; the need for a living wage and pensions for all; need for universal access to health and social care; and access to the labour market.

A presentation given at this meeting contains some interesting stats, taken from a 2009 OECD study.

• Women's wages are 18% lower and pensions are on average 15-30% lower than men's across Europe


• 52% of Europeans fear that people in employment will be increasingly reluctant to pay taxes and social contributions to support older people


• OECD report gives policy makers a 10 year window to implement reforms to health, education and pensions systems (before the next baby boom generation starts to retire)

Two key factors drawn from various research studies show that the pension system and women's labour participation play a key role in poverty later in life.

For women in particular the risk factors are associated with less education, those in poor health, those divorced, living alone and the oldest of the old.  Those living in Portugal, UK and Belgium are most at risk of poverty.

The presentation also discusses the services and voluntary activities that pensioners already contribute to society and the economy, such as childcare or community volunteering, as well as those who do still make an economic contribution through paid work. The need to ensure a living pension as well as dignity and access to care when one becomes dependent should recognise both the past contribution but also the potential contributions that people can make in a variety of ways past retirement age.

2010 is the European Year of combating poverty, so especially given the impact of the financial crisis it will be interesting to see how the EU and the member states respond to this challenge.