Andorran Women's Group Slams IWD Events as Superficial Amid Gender Inequalities

The women's rights group Stop Violències has criticised the Andorran government's events marking International Women's Day on Sunday, accusing them of glossing over the country's genuine gender inequalities.

In a social media statement, the association argued that activities such as theatrical children's stories on aesthetic pressures and a roundtable on childcare represent a superficial "makeover" of Andorra's reality. Instead, they urged focus on pressing issues like women's high poverty risk, labour rights gaps, and family-work reconciliation challenges in a nation where businesses stay open year-round to serve tourists.

Stop Violències highlighted how the always-open economy complicates balancing jobs and family life, leaving many women—particularly in retail—vulnerable. They cited examples of workers at perfume shops owned by the head of government being sent home for not looking "pretty enough." The group also pointed to free dismissal practices, Andorra's absence from the International Labour Organization (ILO), and inadequate social protections: those earning below the minimum wage lack healthcare coverage unless listed as a dependent, typically of a husband, which offers no pension contributions.

Poverty among retired women stands out as a key concern. In 2025, women accounted for 54.6% of solidarity pension applicants, the statement noted. Since 2015, the association has demanded concrete government action, including social impact studies on working women (both residents and temporary workers), ratification of international labour rights treaties, and ILO membership.

The group emphasised that 8 March commemorates the "working woman" and should spotlight these labour shortcomings rather than symbolic gestures. In a country lacking dedicated family-work reconciliation laws or policy frameworks, they called for measures to address these entrenched disparities.