On 12 December 2024, a conference entitled “Reconciling Family and Work Life: The Contribution of Trade Unions in Advocating for Change” was held at the Human Rights House in Zagreb, organized by the BaBe association as part of the Thematic Systematic Support of the National Foundation for the Development of Civil Society. This conference, focused on trade unions, is the third in a row within the aforementioned project, and brought together a number of experts who discussed the challenges of balancing private and professional life. The conference was opened by Petra Kontić, President of the BaBe association, who also presented a promotional video from the “Equality without Excuses” campaign.
Krešimir Sever, President of the Economic and Social Council and the Independent Trade Union Solidarnost, spoke about the importance of balancing professional obligations and family responsibilities. He emphasized that parents often do not find enough time for their families, which affects the functioning of the family and the mental health of children. “We live next to each other, not with each other,” he said, emphasizing the need for social solidarity and better organization of working hours.
Darije Hanzalek, president of the Independent Croatian Trade Unions, warned of the dangers of losing acquired labor rights and stressed the need for modern demographic policies. He paid special attention to women's working conditions and topics such as menstruation, menopause and motherhood. He pointed out that Croatia has yet to introduce changes like those in Spain, which last year introduced the right to menstrual leave.
Ana Vračar from the Base for Workers' Initiative and Democratization presented the Women's Trade Union School project and the importance of increasing the visibility of women in trade unions and political processes. “Men still dominate trade union structures, even where women make up the majority of the membership,” she pointed out, emphasizing the need for more active involvement of women in order for trade unions to better adapt to their needs.
Professors from the University of Zadar, Valerija Barada and Marija Šarić, presented sociological aspects of the everyday challenges of working parents in Croatia. The discussion covered the differences in family and work roles between men and women.
Finally, Ljubica Matijević-Vrsaljko, a retired lawyer and former Ombudsman for Children, shared her experience working with single-parent families. She highlighted the particular difficulties single parents face in balancing private and professional obligations, including challenges in advancement and access to education. “More than half of single-parent families cannot provide their children with basic needs,” she warned.
