BaBe Association Be active. Be emancipated. on October 23, 2023, held international final conference of the project "The impact of public policies on the quality of family and working life and the demographic picture of Croatia - spaces of change" at the Hotel Academia in Zagreb starting at 12 noon.
The conference was opened by Marina Gombar, project manager, who welcomed all those present and in her welcoming speech emphasized the challenges, but also the opportunities and solutions that are provided by the implementation and completion of the aforementioned project. She emphasized that cross-sectoral cooperation and dialogue are key to making decisions to improve the quality of life of citizens and build a better and safer future. After that, she presented to those present the results and achievements that have been achieved through the implementation of project activities.
She then addressed the gathering. Tatjana Katkić Stanić, Director of the Institute for Social Work, on behalf of Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social PolicyIn her speech on the unequal position of women and men, Katkić Stanić stated that women are in a more vulnerable status and are at greater risk of social exclusion due to their greater share of responsibility for childcare. She also expressed hope that the project results will truly improve the work of decision-makers.
She then addressed the conference participants. Višnja Ljubičić, Ombudsperson for gender equalityIn her address, Ljubičić spoke about the challenges faced by women in the Croatian labor market, such as obstacles in balancing family and work responsibilities, and pointed out that in her practice, almost half of the complaints received fall into the area of labor, employment, and social security. She also welcomed the importance of public debate on the project's topics.
Head of the Department of Sociology, University of Zadar, Associate Professor Valerija Barada At the conference, she presented data from a survey of 3,600 parents of minor children. In a presentation titled "Housework and cognitive-emotional household management". Barada emphasized that housework, especially routine ones, is still most often done by women, although men are increasingly involved in childcare activities. Women also more often carry out mental work that involves managing resources, time, emotions and relationships.
The following research data were presented by Marija Šarić from the Department of Sociology University of Zadar in the exhibition entitled "Men and women in Croatia: tensions between work and and family roles" have shown how gendered expectations related to caring for the household and family can unilaterally intensify tensions in both work and family roles, which is particularly evident in the lives of women who generally experience tensions between family and work roles more frequently than men.
Then they Sara Čović and Pavao Parunov from the Department of Sociology, University of Zadar with exposure "The role of public child care and education services in reconciling family and work obligations" showed through the conducted research that 64% of children of nursery age do not attend nursery, 26% of children of kindergarten age do not attend kindergarten, and 77% of children aged 6 to 11 do not use extended stay in primary school. Children from less developed regions and children from unemployed or single-parent households have a lower chance of using public care and education services.
Željka Zdravković from the Department of Sociology, University of Zadar she presented data from a survey of 400 older youth. With a theme "Living conditions of young people in Croatia: work, housing and family" she emphasized that the successful transition of young people depends not only on the young people, but also on the society in which they live. Gender differences in the labor market, the importance of parental support in resolving housing issues, education as a predictor of entering into a life partnership and parenthood, and place of residence as a predictor of first employment, housing, parenthood, and marriage should be taken into account.
The following presentation was given by sociologist Suzana Kunac from the Fifth Discipline with a theme "Policy" recommendations related to public policy for reconciling family and professional obligations for men and woman"After presenting six policy guidelines for the development of public policy for balancing family and work life, Kunac also addressed the demographic situation and emphasized that in order to improve the situation, women should not have to choose between work and family, but rather both should be available to them, and for this it is necessary to deconstruct certain gender stereotypes.
At the end of the conference Delila Hasanbegović Vukas from the Sarajevo Open Center gave a presentation entitled "Parental leave and gender equality - the perspective of Bosnia and
Herzegovina" within which she presented a study on the use of maternity leave by fathers, which showed that more than half of the fathers surveyed were not aware of the right to use maternity leave and that after the birth of a child, more than fifty percent of maternity leave was used by mothers. Hasanbegović Vukas also presented the campaign "Parenting has no gender" with the aim of raising awareness of the important role of fathers in a child's life and their right to use parental leave.
Project "The impact of public policies on the quality of family and work life and on the demographic picture" Croatia – spaces of change“ It is financed by the European Social Fund of the EU (85%) and the budget of the Republic of Croatia (15%), and the total value of the project is 3,599,941.69 HRK. The intermediary bodies are the Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy and the National Foundation for Civil Society Development within the Operational Program Efficient Human Potentials. The project lasts 36 months and is implemented in the City of Zagreb and the following counties: Sisak-Moslavina, Koprivnica-Križevci, Osijek-Baranja, Vukovar-Srijem, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Zadar, Split-Dalmatia and Istria counties.
The aim of the project is to strengthen civil society organizations included in the Thematic Network through partnerships, cross-sectoral cooperation with higher education institutions and local and regional government units.
regional self-government in order to achieve an effective social dialogue with the purpose of developing and proposing adequate public policies, adapted to the cultural specificities of each region, in order to contribute to the harmonization of private and business life of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia. The project takes place through three key groups of activities: building a network of CSOs to identify needs and propose public policies for harmonizing private and business life and their regional implementation; multi-stage action research of the real needs of women and men of working age; promotion and social dialogue on public policy measures that contribute to the harmonization of private and business life.
The project leader is the BaBe association, and the project partners are the University of Zadar, the City of Novska, Vukovar-Srijem County, the Association for Human Rights and Civic Participation PaRIter, the Association 'HERA' Križevci - For the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, the Center for Civic Initiatives Poreč, the Women's Association "IZVOR", the Croatian Association of Business Women Krug, Domine - an organization for the promotion of women's rights, the Space for Gender and Media Culture K-Zona, and the Croatian Youth Network.
Press release_international final conference of the project
