RIGHTS-SERBIA: Women Seen as ‘Endangered Species’

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic Reprint | | Print |

Vesna Peric Zimonjic

BELGRADE, Jan 14 2003 (IPS) - A new study on the status of women in Serbia says that "in many aspects women can be described as an endangered species" although they are more than half the population.

"Women are endangered as they face discrimination when looking for jobs, accept poorly paid jobs in order to feed their children, and many face sexual harassment by their bosses," the study says.

The study ‘Competitiveness of Women in the Labour Market’ covered more than 12,000 women in the seven biggest towns of Serbia. It is the first major study on women since the fall of the regime of Slobodan Milosevic two years ago.

The study is based on almost a year’s work of three NGOs (non-governmental organisations) – Voice of Difference, Centre for Alternative Studies, and Group 17.

"Serbian women make 52 per cent of the 7.4 million population, but less than 10 per cent are sitting at important, management or executive positions," the study says. "Only seven per cent have private property in their name."

Branislava Bujisic, co-author of the report says "it has become a habit for employers to prefer men in favour of women." Employing women is seen to mean "sick leave if she has children, or pregnancy leave if she wants more," Bujisic says.

Where both spouses work, women were found on average to be paid 20 per cent less than their husbands even if they had the same level of education. "It’s because the employers say ‘take it or leave it’ and women agree to smaller wages because they want the income," Bujisic says.

The unemployment rate stands officially at 30 per cent, but a recent World Bank study showed that it is really less than 10 per cent, because of the grey economy where people engage in undeclared work for cash. This grey zone accounts for almost 40 per cent of economic activity. It means that large numbers of Serbs resort to moonlighting for extra income.

But "moonlighting is impossible for many women," the study says. "Some 75 per cent said they are overburdened with work and housework." After seven or eight hours of work, women spend another four to six hours on housework, the study showed.

Serbian men hardly ever help, the study says. Cooking, cleaning and taking care of children are seen as female duties.

The study shows that 10 per cent of women are forbidden by their husbands to do a job. A quarter of unemployed women do not work because their husbands want them to stay with their children until they are at least five.

"The discrimination is visible also in the private economy where small firms are beginning to mushroom," says Mirosinka Dinkic from Group 17. "Only one in 33 women has a firm registered in her name."

The survey showed that a fifth of married women live in "enlarged families" which include the husband’s parents. Another 71 per cent live in homes owned by their husbands. Some 80 per cent of family cars are owned by men.

A separate survey by the Serbian Victimology Society says one in three women become victim of family violence, but only one in seven reports it to the police. The Society called violence "the invisible third partner in Serbian marriages."

The study showed also that half of women are sexually harassed at work. "The spectrum is wide, from comments, physical gestures to sexual blackmail," says Marija Lukic from Voice of Difference. "Unfortunately there is no law against this, and we expect one to be brought soon."

Little has changed since the times of Milosevic, says Sladjana Jovanovic from Voice of Difference. "This society still views women as second rate citizens who are mothers and caretakers of families," she says. "The new authorities have not even tried to change that."