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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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