October 17, 2022
Pay gap impact seen in foodbank surge
Auckland City Missioner Helen Robinson says closing the pay gap would mean more food on the table for needy whanau.
She says food insecurity affects more than one in 10 adults in Aotearoa, and the face of it is the women raising children on their own who need food banks so their children are adequately fed.
Lack of nutrition leads to physical and mental health issues and negatively affects well-being.
It contributes to social exclusion and non-attendance at school, sport, and work.
Ms Robinson says for every dollar that a Pākehā man earns, a Pākehā woman doing the same work earns just 89 cents, and for Māori and Pacific peoples, the gap is even wider.
Last year, the Mission distributed more than 63,000 food parcels – equating to over 3 million meals – to families in need.