gender inequalities in the labour market and the unequal distribution of paid and unpaid work in the family mean that women tend to have lower pension coverage lower benefits and greater vulnerability in old age these gender gaps overlap with existing inequalities in pension coverage and benefits for workers across occupational and income strata in addition women s labour market patterns have also changed substantially over the past half century and so have the family arrangements on which many pension systems have traditionally relied recent pension reforms around the world have addressed some of these issues leading to progress in some countries but gender inequalities in old age protection remain