Megatrend Revija (Jan 2016)
Position and role of a woman in national social and economic development of Serbia
Abstract
Since the beginning of the 20th century it is a demographic fact that women represent over half of the population, while in public sphere they are marginalized. Even Hannah Arendt concluded that 'in modern society women are the biggest minority' there is. In the domain of rights (in subjective and objective sense of the notion) women of the 20th century have reached an equal status with men in principle, but in the 21st century between formal and actual right there is considerable discrepancy. Her right to work is obstructed, in political, economic or cultural level as well as in any given professional activity, regardles formally and legally ensured equality and basically accepted reality of the need for an enhanced participation of less represented gender on decision-making positions. Printed media in Serbia makes clear they are marginalized, since they appear as expert collocutors almost nine times fewer than men (89.2 : 10.8 percent in favor of men experts). The effect of 'glass ceiling' implies invisible yet efficacious obstacle in advancement to the highest organizational positions of women. Statistical data clearly shows that there are still no women in places of actual decision-making, and that they are less paid for the same work in comparison to men, her unequal position is evident from the insight to the company ownership structure, as well as remarkably lower representation on leading positions. Moreover, women have fewer possibilities of advancement in career, and get dismissed more often than men in the process of transition. A woman is sometimes in an inequitable position when it comes to earning income for the exact same work carried out by a man, and she is actually not granted access to all positions and functions in the organization of a society. Therefore it is often a case of using 'woman-alibi' in practice, that is directing certain women to high and influential public positions in order to prove there is no discrimination towards women by the society. Nevertheless, without equal, better and more active participation of women, there shall be no faster or advantageous social and economic development.
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