ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the retirement income security for men and women and how retirement systems can be organized with a focus on women. The design of pension systems is important because the differences in work patterns between men and women will be reflected by the pension system. They will influence the level of pension benefits and thereby consumption possibilities in old age. The chapter analyses different ways of organizing pension systems and gives the pros and cons of different features with special reference to gender aspects. Three aspects are of importance for women when evaluating pension systems: work incentives, distribution, and the level of annual benefits. It is important to provide adequate pensions and income replacement but a pension system should not compensate for gender differences in the labour market, as that would reinforce traditional gender roles and preserve discrimination in the labour market.
