Social Status of Women in Croatia: Woman and Family 1999-2016

Longitudinalno istraživanje percepcije mladih, obrazovanih ispitanika o promjenama uloga žena i muškaraca u Hrvatskoj (1999. – 2016.) ukazuje na visoki stupanj postignute egalitarnosti u sferi javnosti, “izvan doma” (kontrolirano kroz vrste zanimanja i karakter uloga). U privatnoj sferi, “u domu”, postoji stagnacija, čak pogoršanje ženinog položaja u obitelji – nalazi govore o “vraćanju” patrijarhalnih modela rodnih uloga, posebice onih vezanih uz odgoj djece i brigu za starije članove te kućanske obaveze. Očekuje se da se žene više nego prije, iako rade, brinu oko odgoja djece, vode djecu liječniku, odlaze na roditeljske sastanke, brinu za starije, dok im se u kućanskim poslovima postupno pridružuju i muškarci; oni manje participiraju u aktivnostima oko djece (ranije je bio pozitivan trend), što muškarcima povećava šanse u vezi sa zaposlenošću i profesionalnim razvojem. Tome u prilog svjedoči i različita struktura korištenja slobodnog vremena – žene ga još uvijek dominantno posvećuju obitelji, ponešto brizi za osobni izgled, a muškarci sebi (informiranje, napredovanje). Iako mladima ideal ostaje moderna obitelj i egalitarni odnosi na svim razinama, praksa se zasad od toga udaljava u odnosu na 1999. Nastavak kumulacije uloga za žene, onih modernih i tradicionalnih, bez preraspodjele, dovodi do pitanja jačaju li tradicionalna shvaćanja ili se radi o “tradicionalnosti iz nužde” kao odgovoru na prepuštanje odgovornosti za organizaciju obiteljskog života isključivo pojedincima.The conducted longitudinal research (1999-2016) about young, educated examinees’ perception on changes in typical women and men roles showed a high degree of egalitarism in the Croatian public sphere, controlled by different kinds of profession and role characteristics. On the other hand, in the private sphere, it was shown that women today have an even more difficult role in the family than before – women again play their traditional roles, such as taking care of children and the elderly, taking them to doctors, taking part in parents’ meetings in schools. Men tend to help them in their housework, but participate less in activities connected to children, their education and upbringing. This increases men’s chance in employment and professional development. Consequently, women still dominantly spend their free time on family matters and taking care of their personal appearance, unlike men, who spend their free time mostly on themselves. Although typical modern family and egalitarian relations are still an ideal for the young, the practice is a bit different than in 1999. The continuation of cumulating roles for women, the modern and traditional ones, without redistribution, raises the question whether traditional understandings or “traditionalities of necessity” are strengthened in response to leaving the responsibility for organization of family life exclusively to individuals