[Social security for women]

The German Constitutional Court has ruled that the old age pension system in the Federal Republic of Germany should be reformed to give equal rights to men and women in the system. Main aspects of the reform debate are: --The unequal treatment of man and woman in the pension system --Remarkable gaps in the provision for basic needs for women --The discrimination against women in the pension system who contributed to this system mainly by the education of children. Most suggestions for the solution of these problems are orientated on two basic conceptions: the sharing of the common pension for the surviving spouse and the independent social security for all women. In the first conception the pensions remain the same as now during the lifetime of both spouses. After the death of one of them the surviving spouse receives a certain percentage of the common pensions of both. A percentage between 65 and 75% is discussed. Other differences between several variants of this conception concern the question whether the whole pension of both spouses or only those parts of the pensions which were acquired during the time of the marriage should be included. Also the idea of guaranteeing the own pension is discussed. The conception of the independent social security of women restricts the pension for surviving dependents on children. Every adult person has to acquire its own social security. In this concept it is possible to acknowledge the fact that women have educated children. During the time where they do not work and do not educate children an own contribution eventually on a reduced rate has to be paid. Both conceptions are compared with the most important goals of the reform. The result is that the independent social security of women will be more compatible with the reform goals than the conception of sharing the common pensions for the surviving spouse.