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This
message was send to us from the president of BPW Pula, Alida
Perkov
BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION AND KEY CONCERNS FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
IN CROATIA
INTRODUCTIVE
NOTES
The
position of women in the Croatian society since the Croatian independence
has been changing. Although there are indicators of the return to
traditionalism, the average family has considerably changed: single
households are even more present, large families are very rare, women
get married at an older age (25,1 years) and the first child is born
later (at the women’s age of 25,4 years). For example, thirty years
ago in Croatia there were four times more women having ten or more
children.
The
share of women with university education has increased by 79,2% in
the period between 1981 and 1991. Although from the last elections
for the Deputy Representatives’ House the share of women in the Croatian
Parliament has increased to 21%, the percentage of women in the Government,
Ministries and local authorities is still minimal. Numerous NGO-s
are acting in Croatia on order to develop economic and political empowerment
of women (like- The STAR Network for Southeastern Europe).
1.
LEGISLATIVE ASPECT
Croatian
laws providing the area of labour and social security have been amended
several times in the past ten years. The reduction of the achieved
social rights has been justified by the necessity to increase the
economic competitiveness and the reduction of too high social expenditures
as well as the necessity for greater personal responsibility of each
individual for his own social position. Yet, the newly introduced
policies did not lead to a greater economic growth nor to a durable
consolidation of state finances. From the long-term perspective we
might say that they have lead to the increase in inequality in the
Croatian society.
The
society in crisis affects more marginal groups, like women. Besides,
certain law provisions explicitly refer to women, bringing them certain
benefits. However, all those benefits are primarily related to women’s
reproductive function: law protects pregnant women, breast-feeding
women mother of small child. The following general observation is
also exact: the law does not determine non-biased criteria for assessment
of certain rights, but a lot of issues are left to the good will of
the executive authorities to evaluate the minimum of needs if its
citizens to be met.
2.
ECONOMIC POSITION
The
Republic of Croatia has reached, in the former Yugoslavia, at the
end of eighties, the level of development, which by the UN methods
and criteria reached the top ten of new industrialised countries.
In the meantime the Croatian GDP by 1989 reached the level of 5000
USA$. But the war, transitional crisis and the loss of markets lowed
the GDP to 50%, thrice increased the unemployment as well as the country
debit, lowed the country credibility rating and the level of investments
equalised to the level of amortisation.
The
unemployment has reached the number of 400 thousand workers, while
circa 1,3 million people are employed. Main causes of the labour market
crisis lay in the recession (due to instability of economic system),
loss of market and interruption of contacts with partners in former
Yugoslavia, country isolation during and after the Independence War
and privatisation, which caused the growing social and economic inequality.
Numerous
field researches and few statistical reports in Croatia indicate the
existence of discrimination against women in the Croatian society:
by comparing men and women ‘s pay we detect a consistent difference
in the amount of wages, unemployment rate, access to different jobs
and education and accumulation of human capital. They should surely
help explaining the effects of asymmetrical information in the economy
of information.
Table.
1 Active working population in second half of 1999. in Croatia
| |
total |
men |
women |
| |
000
% |
000
% |
000
% |
| active
population |
1730
100 |
928
53,6 |
802
46,4 |
| employed |
1479
100 |
803
54,3 |
676
45,7 |
| unemployed |
251
100 |
125
49,8 |
126
50,2 |
Source:
Croatian State Statistic Bureau , 07.06.2000.
By
comparing men and women status in Croatia we detect a consistent difference
in employment and unemployment. Although the average women’s employment
share goes around 45,7%, the percentage varies according to activities.
Over 50% women’s employment share exists in tertiary activities (except
transport services and real estate), while manufacturing and mining
industry has the 16% women’s share. Women mostly work in the work-intensive
sectors with considerably lower average wages. In addition, regardless
of the sector they work, women mostly work in less paid, routine jobs.
The
facts can be proofed by a random sample of a share of business and
professional women in Istrian County (which is one of the most developed
regions in Croatia).
In
the Istrian firms with more than 20 employees, there are only 12,5%
women in the management positions (Source: Croatian Chamber of commerce,
personal processing). Croatian tradesmen structure according to sex
indicates 13,03% share of women (Source: Croatian Chamber of Trades
and Crafts, personal processing)
While
in the ratio of employed women/ to men goes from 45,7% in Croatia
and circa 49% in Istria, it is evident that the professions with decision
role (managers, presidents, executives, artisans ) have an invisible
wall. The women can reach the second position in firm or institution,
and only few of them can reach the top level.
Regardless
of the number of hours that women spend in paid work, they still bear
the burden of the major part of the unpaid work, both within the immediate
and broader family circle and the society in general. Women’s unpaid
work enables paid workers to produce and earn, and children to be
educated properly.
The
basic macroeconomic indicators of Croatian Economy in 2001 show increasing
of the GDP per capita up to 4,602 US$, and the growth rate of industrial
production to 5,8%.
However
the overall economic and social development does not automatically
lead to a better position of women.
These
facts lead to the conclusion that the political decision-making institutions
have to implement the policy of improvement of women’s position in
the society.
ACTUAL
NATIONAL POLICY OF PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY
By
the end of 2001 (Official Gazette 112/2001 from 18.12.2001), the Croatian
Parliament adopted a National policy of promoting gender equality,
with the Croatian Programme of National Policy from 2001 to 2005 )
.
The
aims of the National policy of promoting gender equality are:
-promotion
of women’s rights in all parts of human actions
-women’s
self-awareness in all situations about their real position and the
need of
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