EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND MEN

VIOLETA JOVANOVIĆ, NALED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE ETHNO NETWORK

Although women are the more educated gender in the Serbian population, they face higher unemployment, lower wages and discrimination. In order for these statistics to change to the benefit of creating a gender balance, it is necessary to combine the efforts of all stakeholders: the state, companies/policies, the media and women themselves, who should fight for their rights.

The consequences of traditional upbringing and patriarchal society are mostly endured by women in the provinces and the countryside, but they are also felt by educated and employed women who are expected to predominantly take care of the family and children, which limits them in making progress and achieving equality, - says NALED Executive Director and Ethno Network President Violeta Jovanović. According to her, the conditions of the pandemic strengthened gender stereotypes, because the closure of schools and nurseries meant that parents – and in our country mostly mothers – were compelled to dedicate themselves to the family at the expense of their work and to do another shift at home for which they aren’t paid or often even valued, notes our interlocutor.

Even before the pandemic, obstacles to the greater participation of women in positions of influence in the public and private sectors were already coming from socially imposed burdens outside of work and achieving a balance between business and family responsibilities. There is also a lack of greater child care support from public institutions, as well as personal ambitions as a result of a patriarchal upbringing, because it is considered that a career endangers family obligations that women are traditionally predetermined to do, insists Jovanović.

“Also testifying to the problem of the gender gap in the household is the first economic study on unpaid work, which showed that women are twice as heavily burdened as men when it comes to household chores and caring for children and the elderly. The pandemic that the whole world is facing has further burdened women with additional jobs, despite them often being on the front lines of the fight against the virus – in hospitals, pharmacies and supermarkets,” says

ENCOURAGEMENT

It is encouraging that there is an ever growing number of women taking over leadership positions in the government, national assembly and local governments

RESPONSIBILITY

The pandemic has burdened women with additional jobs, despite them often being on the front lines of the fight against the virus – in hospitals, pharmacies and supermarkets

DIALOGUE

We need to lead a dialogue within institutions and foster exchanges of opinions to more quickly reach harmonised solutions for the pandemic and the crisis, together with gender equality

NALED’s executive director. “That’s why what we do at How much do women support other women, and how much NALED and the Ethno Network is to strive to build a society are they soldiers of their parties or their companies that of equal opportunities in which both women and men have are run by men? every opportunity to develop and affirm themselves, and It is absolutely vital for women to network with each other to achieve what they want in life.” in order to create an ecosystem of support and to highlight the Many believe that this will be a permanent change that will contribution to society. Joining sector-specific and professional nullify all the previous victories of the feminist movement. associations, such as the Ethno Network or the Association of What do you think about that? Business Women in Serbia, provides an opportunity to connect

I believe that no change is permanent, whether positive or negative, and I’m sure that this backwards step can be overcome by working to develop society’s awareness of the need for gender equality and increasing the willingness of women to stand up for themselves within their families, working collectives and society. It was a few months ago that I noticed a great campaign of UN Women and the Coordination Body for Gender Equality that encourages an equal division of care for children and co-parenting. The campaign is called “#HalfHalf - Care is not (only) a woman’s job” and it calls for the recognition and equal distribution of unpaid work caring for children and families. One important aspect of this campaign is encouraging and motivating men to get more involved in caring for children from the earliest age, and for them to realise that they are not helpers The ‘1000 Women’ initiative, which is implemented by of the members of the household but rather equal the Ethno Network, in cooperation with the Coordination participants. In that sense, under the scope of the campaign, baby changing facilities were set up in Body for Gender Equality and NALED, is an excellent men’s toilets in five public buildings in the country, example of mutual support in order to build an awareness of the need for equal benefits of women’s economic independence and their future and active parenting. and share experiences, as well as recognising excellence, while the promotion of sporting and career programmes intended Fifty per cent of the members of the Serbian Government for girls helps them develop their personality and awareness are women. Did that seem like an impossible goal to you of the right to personal choice. The role of the family and the just a year ago? equal treatment of male and female children is therefore key

It is encouraging that there is an ever growing number of to the further development of the individual and society as a women taking over leadership positions in the government, whole. It is also interesting to note the statistic that successful national assembly and local governments, and I hope that, as female entrepreneurs in Serbia are often the only children in decision-makers, women will contribute to more equitable their families, and they say that their confidence in their own public policies that aren’t not only good for women, but for work and sense of self-worth are based on the attention and society as a whole. In order for that to happen, it is also encouragement they received during their upbringing. necessary for women to believe in themselves and their In contrast to that, although women are the more educated abilities, to work hard and to make independent decisions gender in the Serbian population, only 43.7% of women are for which they take responsibility on the basis of their currently employed in Serbia, compared to 56% of men. As function and the law. many as 71% of men work in management positions, and

apart from the large discrepancy in possible damage inflicted on us as employment figures, a difference still an economy and a society? remains in earnings to the advantage It is essential for us to continue of men, as key decision makers. In talking and listening to each other, at order for these statistics to change least online until conditions change. to the benefit of creating a gender We also need to lead a dialogue within balance, it is necessary to combine the institutions and foster exchanges efforts of all stakeholders: the state, of opinions in order for us to more companies/policies, the media and quickly reach harmonised solutions women themselves, who need to take for the pandemic and the crisis, toresponsibility for their own careers gether with gender equality. and not to hesitate in presenting the That dialogue should continue the results of their work to the public, successes of simplifying the procedure which they often leave to men. for maternity leave, the automatic Which of your experience from man- marriage as being under shared ownaging NALED would you share with your young female colleagues who Our focus is on amendments ership and result in amendments to regulations and a gender-sensitive are just advancing to managerial to regulations that will enable policy of public employment and labour positions? We endeavour to lead by example, to highlight good role models and be employers to hire workers legally and with minimal administration that equally values men and women and provides opportunities for the equal participation of women in managerial supportive of female colleagues at the positions. The social platform for embeginning of their careers, to help them network and build self- powering women should be included in strategic documents confidence as a foundation for achieving equality. We also run and have cross-sector implementation so that it becomes an work mentoring and professional advancement programmes integral part of all governmental programmes and measures in order to empower women at the beginning of their careers to achieve more comprehensive effects. It is necessary for and help them to understand that they are creative members children to learn about equality from an early age, through the of society who represent neglected economic potential with education system and public campaigns that teach children to abilities and knowhow that can contribute significantly to respect each other. Public policies should also be upgraded with our faster development. An important element of equality support programmes that appreciate the needs of women and in society, and thus also in NALED, is represented by men, the wider community and provide carefully designed measures who account for 30% of our employees and who, shoulder- that can have an economic effect and help to affirm women. to-shoulder with their female colleagues, achieve the results Another important support measure for working parents is of the largest public-private association in Serbia. increasing the number of public institutions and reducing the

Another excellent example of mutual support is the costs of private childcare institutions with flexible working ‘1000 Women’ initiative, which is implemented by the Ethno hours, as well as a more tolerant attitude in society towards Network, in cooperation with the Coordination Body for women who are successful and accomplished in their work. Gender Equality and NALED, and which brings together registering of property acquired in a women in their later years and those just starting out in their What are the priorities of NALED in this domain? careers to work together in building the conditions required NALED is paying special attention to support for hiring for their social and economic affirmation. This initiative has employees and maintaining employment in this period. Our helped to train for work and empower hundreds of women focus is also on amendments to regulations governing this after they’ve experienced years of unemployment and been area that will enable employers to hire workers legally and pushed to the margins of the labour market, enabling them with minimal administration, i.e. those who lose their jobs to develop handicraft skills and thus forge for themselves a will be able to secure engagements and thus earn an income. creative job that they can use to earn an income. Even more There is a special focus on home help jobs that are currently importantly, with this activity we’ve restored the significance carried out by more than 50,000 women, for whom amending and status of handicrafts as carriers of our cultural identity regulations would enable them to gain an opportunity to be and women as guardians of our cultural heritage. insured and to exercise their right to a pension. With such an approach, the state will certainly benefit from the preserving In your opinion, what is a necessary precondition for us of income tax revenues and the reducing of social tensions to be able emerge from this period with the minimum caused by rising unemployment.