MartinJenkins’ report for Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission explores the persistent gender gap in retirement incomes, revealing that men’s KiwiSaver balances are, on average, 25% higher than women’s. Taking a life-course approach, the report identifies six key stages – education, work, relationship status, parenting, housing tenure, and retirement – where policy interventions can make a meaningful difference for women.
The analysis highlights how factors such as the gender pay gap, part-time work, motherhood, relationship breakdowns, and homeownership patterns combine to disadvantage women’s retirement outcomes. It also recognises the diversity of women’s experiences, including those of wāhine Māori, Pacific women, ethnic women, and gender-diverse individuals. This report was prepared by EeMun Chen, Principal Consultant, with peer review and quality assurance provided by Sarah Baddeley, Partner.
