Women's Affairs 2018 Societal Problems and Solution Strategies in Hungary - Bibliothek der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
ANALYSIS Women's Affairs 2018 Societal Problems and Solution Strategies in Hungary ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS MAY 2018 The members of society do not regard the majority of the problems faced by women in Hungary as ‘women’s’ problems. On the basis of our research (consisting of focus groups and a survey), the major problems include the financial difficulties also faced by women, the difficulty of making a living and lack of jobs available under decent circumstances and conditions. However, gender inequalities can clearly be detected in the background of those problems. Without social welfare systems and adequate assistance, in most cases, women are obliged to arrange the care of disabled, sick and elderly within the family and that is also expected of them by the public. The responsibilities of care are a great source of tension in relation to participation in the labour market. Employers also have a conflicting interest, as the image of an ‘ideal employee’ is not compatible with the lives of those who also have care responsibilities. According to the results of the research, material issues are emphasised more among the problems raised by women than a few topics that were in the target of the feminist movements recently (e.g., sexism, objectifying media representation of women, low political and economic power of women). People have clear, low opinion of the extent to which political parties take up the issues causing women problems and more than 50% of the respondents cannot identify any such party. However, according to the results, people are not against having more women in politics, expecting them to also devote more attention to the women’s matters.
ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
Table of Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3
2. Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Focus groups ............................................................................................................. 3
2.2 Survey........................................................................................................................... 3
3. The results.......................................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Problems in general................................................................................................... 4
3.2 Women’s problems.................................................................................................... 4
3.3 Tension between employment and care............................................................... 5
3.4 Demographic focus................................................................................................... 6
3.5 Care as a primarily woman’s task........................................................................... 6
3.6 Women’s problems and party politics................................................................... 9
4. Recommendations............................................................................................................ 11
5. The authors......................................................................................................................... 13
2ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
1. Introduction 2.1. Focus groups
In response to a question from a journalist about The focus group part of the research concen-
the recall of Réka Szemerkényi, the Hungarian trated on women with lower educational quali-
ambassador to the United States, the Hungarian fications and a lower status in society, because
Prime Minister answered in 2017 that he did not they are more difficult to reach with traditional
deal with women’s affairs. It is justified to ask sociology survey methods and, consequently,
whether in a country where so few women make their problems are also less known. Even actors
it into executive positions, the ambassador to the committed to women’s affairs find it difficult to
US also qualifies as a women’s matter. However, convey messages and initiatives to them.
with his dismissive statement, the Prime Minister Composition of the focus groups:
rather revealed his attitude issues that he deemed Women aged 25-70, broken down into two age
‘women’s matters’. In addition, it is not even true groups (25-45 year olds and 45-70 year olds)
that the Hungarian government does not deal Groups structured homogeneously in terms
with women’s affairs. Here is just one example: of age, school qualifications and social status
one day after the 2018 parliamentary elections, Groups structured heterogeneously according
Viktor Orbán announced that the next govern- to family status (partners and number of
ment would have a «demographic focus», which children)
clearly has numerous women’s policy aspects. Six focus group interviews were organised with 8
The purpose of our research was to find out what participants in each group, each session lasting
‘women’s affairs’ are for Hungarian women and for 1.5-2 hours, between 16th and 26th October,
what society, both women and men, think about 2017. Two interviews were conducted in Budapest
them. We began the research with the intention and four were held in the towns of Dombóvár,
to map the difficulties and obstacles confronting Pápa, Szolnok and Miskolc.
women in everyday life. We were also interested The provincial towns were selected with the inten-
in the form of language used, to what extent tion of covering the various regions of the country.
that is the expression of gender inequality and The group participants came not only from the
whether the way these problems are addressed towns but also from the surrounding villages.
compares to the approaches of activists and poli-
ticians dealing with the situation of women. We 2.2. Survey
also wanted to find out the extent to which the
topics dominating public discourse and the most The survey was conducted using CAPI interviews
frequent messages of politics and movements (computer assisted personal interview). The
targeted at women are reflected in women’s own interviewers visited the respondents between 6th
stories. We also wished to learn from where they and 14th December, 2017. The sample of 1,000
expect help with their most burning problems and respondents is statistically representative of the
what they think of the roles of their partners, fami- Hungarian population aged over 18, by age, set-
lies, the smaller communities, NGOs, employers tlement type of the place of residence and edu-
and politics. cational level (weight variables). Only individuals
aged over 18 were included in the sample; all of
2. Methodology them were selected using stratified random sam-
pling. The sampling error was estimated at no
The research is based on two pillars: six focus more than ±3.2 percentage points with a 95%
group interviews conducted among women and confidence interval for the entire sample, i.e.,
a national questionnaire-based survey involving there is 95% probability that the investigated ratio
1,000 participants, both female and male. would be within this value range if the relevant
3ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
information could be collected from all members Almost half of the problems mentioned in the
of the population. The differences resulting from questionnaire-based research (one respondent
the sampling and the composition of the popula- could mention a maximum of five problems)
tion were adjusted using the weighting variables were related to living, the workplace or the lack
referred to above, with an iterative proportionate of it (figure 1). However, problems specifically
matching procedure. affecting women were mentioned among the
first in the responses to the first question of the
3. The results focus groups and among the first spontaneous
responses of the questionnaire. In the focus
3.1. Problems in general groups such problems were: care for the elderly,
the lack of tolerance of employers towards the
It was striking that the responses to the opening tasks relating to raising children; the gender pay
question of both the focus group and question- gap; the chronic shortage of time because of chil-
naire-based research, i.e., the problems faced dren; and the situation of single mothers. In the
by other people similar to them in society, were survey, only two per cent of the spontaneously
dominated by the issues of living: wages, prices, mentioned problems were difficulties expressly
loans and housing. In each focus group, the con- faced by women. They included the ‘shortage
ditions of the workplace were described with of kindergartens and crèches’ or the burden of
harsh words: abuse, exploitation, slavery. ‘tiring household work’ faced by women.
Figure 1: In your opinion, what are the most important problems that people living in Hungary
today, in a situation similar to yours, are faced with? (open-ended question, spontaneous answers,
maximum ofIn 5
Figure 1: answers,
your opinion, whatbreakdown of mentioned
are the most important problems,
problems that people total
living in Hungary ofinall
today, mentioned
a situation problems
similar t o yours, = 2550)
are faced with?
(open- ended question, spontaneous answers, maximum of 5 answers, breakdown of mentioned problems, total of all mentioned problems = 2550)
hectic pace of the
minority groups political world, bad
(Roma, refugees, life/standard, relationships
gay community, situation of public between people,
Soros), 4% life, corruption, 4% 4%
addictions,
mental and
education, 3% physical well
employment (lack of), being, 3% other, 3%
unemployment (stress relating to it),
15%
women’s
difficulties of problems, 2%
housing, 3% families (with
children), 3%
security/
lack of perspective of terrorism, 2%
the future,
living, high - prices, low wages, loans, poverty uncertainty, bad migration, labour under-performance of
(related to finances), 38% healthcare, 8% atmosphere, 3% shortage, 2% the welfare state, 1%
3.2. Women’s problems and to list a maximum of five problems faced by
women. While eight out of ten respondents were
After sharing the general problems, in the ques- able to mention general problems, only three out
tionnaire-based research the respondents were of ten respondents were able to indicate problems
asked to think of women in similar situations relating to the lives of women spontaneously.
4ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
A considerable number, almost 25% of the men- group of problems that can truly and specifi-
tioned women’s problems, are not specifically cally be considered women’s problems. These
faced by women, only affect women too (figure responses stress that women find it difficult to
2). The tension between employment and private simultaneously live up to the expectations at
life represented the most frequently mentioned home and in the workplace.
Figure 2: What are the primary problems that women living in a situation similar to yours are faced
with the most? (open-ended question, maximum of 5 answers, breakdown of women’s problems
Figure 2: What are the primary problems that women living in a situation similar to yours are faced with the most?
mentioned above,
(open-ended all mentioned
question, women’s
maximum of 5 answers, problems
breakdown of women’s = problems
688) mentioned above, all mentioned women’s problems =688)
house work,
abuse, violence, keeping a
harassment, 5% household, 4% family, 3%
employment/
unemployment work after parental solitude, 3% healthcare, 2%
in general, 10% leave, having small
children, 8% pensions, 3%
living, finances, 14%
insufficient
number of
expectations kindergartens, ageing,
related to crèches, 2% health, 2%
women with having
children, 3% children, 2% single work
over the glass
women, age of 50, ceiling,
1% 1% 1%
elderly
care,
work-private life, double burden, discrimination, inequality, migration, housing, child- nursing,
expectations, 11% lack of appreciation, 9% other, 6% wage gap, 3% 2% 1% birth, 1% 1%
The second group of women’s problems, repre- According to our research, employment was one
senting 10 per cent of the mentioned difficulties, of the most problematic issues. It was stressed
contained statements that in general referred to during the focus group interviews that the
the social inequalities between men and women increased and unpredictable working hours and
with negative consequences affecting women. the inflexible and hard working conditions have an
These responses did not include specific prob- eroding impact on all confidential relations.
lems: the responses provided a general descrip- The tension between motherhood and employ-
tion of the social system and operational mecha- ment was mentioned from a specific women’s
nisms that create and maintain the hierarchical point of view. It is hard to find employment in the
relations between women and men (e.g., ‘male beginning: either because childless young women
dominance’). The problems of returning to/ are assumed to have child in the near future that
entering the labour market after childbirth fin- is a risk from the perspective of the employer or if
ished in third place on our imaginary podium. there are children, they may be sick and the more
children a mother has the worse are the chances
3.3. Tension between employment and care of finding a job and women will be more exposed
to employers because they have very little chance
During the focus group interviews, the situation of switching jobs. When a child or a family member
of the women belonging to the ‘sandwich genera- is ill, employers do not approve of absence and are
tion’ was mentioned in the first round by the three not cooperative in rescheduling lost tasks or time.
older groups. Such women simultaneously care When children have already left home, women
for their children and their elderly parents. cannot find a job because they are too old (they
5ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
lag behind in practice and are not fast or agile They criticised the message less from the aspect
enough or are over-qualified). The participants of autonomy and female self-determination than
in the three older focus groups, especially, spent from the conditions of living: they cannot afford
a long time discussing the disadvantages expe- three, or often even one or two children. It was a
rienced by women in their fifties in the labour further critical aspect that some contradiction is
market. seen between the intensity of the communication
Apart from children, the tension caused between messages and the degree of real assistance from
caring for elderly parents and the paid employ- the government (e.g., with regard to an employer
ment also emerged in the younger focus groups who has a contrary interest in regard to employees
too. It was regularly mentioned that childcare having children).
problems were tolerated to a certain extent but
that no one takes into account the care of the 3.5. Care as a primarily woman’s task
elderly.
During the questionnaire-based research, it was One of the great lessons of the focus group
also confirmed that women’s problems relating to research is that the participants feel that they are
care are considered very serious by the general absolutely left alone when the issue arises of what
public. Of 25 problems included in a pre-deter- persons, individuals, or institutions they can rely
mined list, the following four problems turned out on in finding solutions to various women’s prob-
to be the most severe perceived by both women lems. The feeling of being neglected is reflected
and men, based on the average score of more not only in the extent to which they are affected
than 4.4 on a scale of 1 to 5, scoring the highest by such situations in life, but also in whom they
average points: can expect assistance from in finding solutions to
raising children as a single parent and the problems of various situations in life.
raising durably ill children is a difficult task, Using five selected life situations, in our ques-
raising a child involves a lot of expenditure, tionnaire-based research, we tried to assess who
and provided assistance in a particular situation in life
even though part-time work is often referred and who, according to the respondents, should
to as a solution, it is difficult to live on a part- offer assistance first and who should do the same
time wage. second, in a particular situation in life, namely:
durably ill young child in the family
3.4. Demographic focus elderly family member requiring permanent care
unemployment after parental leave
It was mentioned as a problem in each focus intimate partner violence
group that the governing parties admittedly pay raising a child as a single parent
a lot of attention to encouraging childbirth. The Irrespective of the problem, those who had already
message that a family should have at least three practically experienced the given situation in life,
children has also been conveyed successfully. referred to a female member of their family as the
People understand the normative nature of this person who provided help in the given situation
message and consider it a burden. (figure 3).
6ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
Figure 3: Who helped in such Durably ill young child in the family (%)
Durably ill young child in the family (%)
a situation?
(those who already
female family member
female family member 77 77
experienced the particular male family member
male family member 23 23
situation in life in the past the the
state or a public institution
state or a public institution 15 15
or are experiencing it now
in relation to themselves NGONGO 12 12
or a close relative of family employer0
employer 0
member may provide more
market supplier 0
market supplier 0
than one answer, ratio of
mentions, %) none
none 6 6
other
other 4 4
0 0 25 25 50 50 75 75 100100
Elderly family member requiring
Durably ill young child in the family (%)
Raising a child as a single parent (%) permanent care (%)
female family member 74
77 67
male family member 23 19
the state or a public institution 15
17 18
NGO 1 12 5
employer 03 1
market supplier 01 6
none 68 3
other 45 2
0 25 50 75
75 100
100 0 25 50 75 100
Unemployment after GYES/GYED (parental
Unemployment after GYES/GYED (parental leave (%)leave) (%)
Unemployment after parental leave) (%) Intimate partner violence (%)
female family member
female family member
female family member 26 26 26 31
male family member
male family member
male family member 30 30 30 11
the state or a public institution
the state or a public institution24
the state or a public institution 24 24 32
NGO 3 NGO NGO3 3 3
employer employer
11
employer 11 11 3
market supplier
market supplier 5
market supplier 5 5 2
none none
10none 10 10 21
other other
8 other 8 8 12
0 025 0 2550 25 5075 50 75
10075 0
100 100 25 50 75 100
7ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
Even the expectations strongly reflect the atti- Women are left alone in their care tasks. The
tude that women are responsible for such tasks. respondents clearly associate these problems
This places a burden on women, especially given with the scope of responsibility of individuals and,
the fact that the welfare system and institutional primarily, of women. Even though the possible
infrastructure have been generally deteriorating in answers include actors other than female family
Hungary since the regime change and government members, only a low percentage of respondents
after government have been increasingly with- think that other actors should help, either primarily
drawing the state from this area. or secondarily, in the particular situations in life
(figure 4).
Figure 4: Who of the Durably ill young child in the family (%)
following actors do you
female family member 72 8
think should be primarily
responsible for providing male family m ember 4 48
assistance? And who would the state or a public institution 17 21
be secondly responsible?
NGO 2 8
(all respondents, %)
employer 12
market supplier 1 5
other 11
0 25 50 75 100
primary secondary
Elderly family member requiring
Raising a child as a single parent (%) permanent care (%)
Durably ill young child in the family (%)
64 6 60 8
female family member 7 40 72 8 3 33
male family m ember 4 19 20
48 26 21
the state or a public institution 1 817 21 2 15
NGO 22 58 11
employer 1124 3 10
market supplier 1254 11
other 101 25 50 75 100 0 25 50 75 100
0 Durably ill young child in the family (%)
primary
25 50 secondary
75 100 primary secondary
Unemployment after parental leave) (%)
Unemployment after GYES/GYED (parental leave (%) Intimate partner violence (%)
female family member primary72 secondary8
female family member 29 6 21 5
female family member 26
male family
male family m ember m ember 4 48 7 17
13 24
male family member 30
the state or a public institution
the state or a public institution 17
37 21 24 41 16
the state or a public institution 24
NGO NGO 1 10 2 8 10 26
NGO 3
employer 13 17 11
employer 12
employer 11
market supplier 1 6 6 11
market supplier 1 5
market supplier
other 01 5 4 4
othernone 11 10
0 25 50 75 100 0 25 50 75 100
other 0 8 25 50 75 100
primary secondary primary secondary
0 25 primary 50 secondary
75 100
8ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
It is striking on how few occasions male family 3.6. Women’s problems and party politics
members are mentioned as potential helpers.
This may reflect the traditional understanding of During the focus group interviews, reserva-
the gender roles, according to which care is pri- tions, passivity and lack of confidence could be
marily a woman’s responsibility. It may also be an detected in relation to political actors and any
explanation that men cannot be expected to help assistance expected from them. The participants
because they are otherwise burdened, e.g., they did not think that any political party would pay any
are responsible for providing for the family. attention to the situation of women or, if they did,
It is clear that the respondents have much it was only during an election campaign or in rela-
greater expectations in regard to the services tion to families (some had positive, others nega-
provided by the state than the assistance cur- tive views about the latter).
rently available. It is especially obvious in the The same was revealed in the questionnaire-
case of care for the elderly. Assistance in the based research. The political parties scored
case of unemployment after parental leave or poorly in how well they represented issues
intimate partner violence is clearly considered causing difficulties to women. The respondents
the responsibility of the state according to the and especially women, were very critical even
respondents, while there are also situations in towards the party they voted for in this issue. The
life in which, primarily, family members must imaginary podium is topped by the governing
come up with solutions. Compared to the other party Fidesz – but even their performance is
problems, the respondents would also like to considered by the respondents to be less than
see employers taking a greater role in providing average in that respect. The green LMP (Politics
jobs to mothers with small children. The difficult Can Be Different) finished in second place, fol-
situation of the victims of domestic violence is lowed by KDNP (Christian Democratic People’s
indicated by the fact that every fifth person who Party), the coalition partner of Fidesz, in third
experienced such an incident, stated that they place. More than half of the respondents believe
could not expect assistance from anyone and that none of the parties represents women’s
were left alone with their problem. issues (figure 5).
Figure 5: Which party is the most representative of the affairs of Hungarian women? (all respondents, %)
23
5
55
5
4
3
2
1 1
Fidesz MSZP Jobbik
LMP DK KDNP
Momentum Together there is n o such p arty
9ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
According to four out of ten respondents, no respondents expect a positive change compared
change would occur if more female MPs were to the negligibly low ratio of those who expect a
in parliament. However, more than 25% of the negative change in that regard (figure 6).
Figure 6:
Do you think it would have any effect on the What positive effect would it have? (among
country’s political life if more female MPs were those who think it would be a positive
in parliament? (all respondents, %) change, open-ended question, spontaneous
22 answers, N=284, %)
28
focus more on the situation of 6
22 28 28
women
socially m ore sensitive, empathetic, 15
and more tolerant 11
more effective parliamentary work, 25
more and better decisions 11
1
1 change in the political tone 18
8 9
8 more and better decisions relating 14
to families 5
40 40
less corruption, transparency* 5
would have a positive effect
would have a positive effect solutions in the social and 9
would have a negative healthcare fields 2
would have a negative e ffecteffect
would have both positive and negative e ffects
would have
would not have any aend negative
b oth p ositive ffect e ffects 0 10 20 30
would not have any e ffect
does not know, does not answer December 2007 December 2017
*Not included as a category in November 2007.
Those who expect a positive change, generally for some improvements in the political tone and
assume that if there are more female MPs, more ten years ago, only 6% expected that if there were
attention will be paid to the situation of women. more female politicians, more attention would be
In terms of various social demographic variables paid to the situation of women. There may be a
and party preferences, there is no difference in number of factors behind the changes. Over the
the ratio of respondents sharing that expectation recent years, the female politicians undertaking
and generally hoping for a positive change. roles in the scene of politics often supported
However, compared to other research conducted issues relating to women or, more specifically,
ten years ago with a focus on the same issue, the mothers, irrespective of their parties and that
expectations of respondents expecting positive may have been a factor in the change of the
changes from the presence of female politicians opinion on the issue. However, another interpre-
have been thoroughly transformed. Ten years tation of this change could also be that expecta-
ago 25% of the respondents expected more tion in regard to female politicians to represent
effective work in parliament from that change, women’s matters as women have also become
twice as many respondents as now (18%) hoped stronger.
10ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
4. Recommendations 7. Consideration should be given to the idea of
whether employment is truly a field of wom-
1. Both women and men understand the social en’s emancipation. While economic inde-
disadvantages faced by women due to the pendence is one of the fundamental interests
fact that primarily they fulfil the responsibili- of women, one can also see that in the cur-
ties of care, even if that is not always described rent labour market situation, for most women,
as a disadvantage. Besides symbolic matters, employment and work, provided that they
these material topics should appear on the have access to it, could not become the place
agenda (more often). of personal fulfilment.
2. In certain stages of our lives, all of us need 8. In that context, the criticism of the three-
care and all of us provide care. This idea year parental leave should be seen in a
could be the basis of solidarity in which care more nuanced way too. The criticism gen-
is recognised as an important value for erally relates to the setback to a woman’s
society. Care is not a private matter but a career after a long absence and to their sub-
political issue. sequent opportunities in the labour market.
3. In practice, that would mean recognition of The women involved in our research experi-
caring professions, financial recognition of enced as a severe tension, the contradiction
individuals caring for minors, the durably between their tasks of care (partly: desire for
ill or disabled or elderly relatives, and the care) and the constraints imposed upon them
reduction of their risks of poverty. by the labour market. Whether they experi-
4. The efforts that are aimed at easing the ten- ence the exit from the labour market as a dis-
sion between paid work and care activity, by advantage or an advantage, greatly depends
creating an equal relationship between men on the quality of the labour market positions
and women within a family (‘men should also to which they have access. For those who are
change nappies’) are simply not enough. The most heavily exploited, the parental leave can
research revealed that, irrespective of whether even bring temporary relief from such vul-
the task is performed by women or men, the nerability. We should therefore disregard the
systemic conditions of care do not exist and approach that considers participation in the
therefore the issue cannot be resolved with labour market only as a way of emancipation
the simple restructuring of the distribution of and a long period spent at home to be the
tasks within families. pressure of a conservative ideology. Instead
5. The usual system-conform narrative of of reducing parental leave, efforts should
‘work-life balance’ does not manage the focus on improving working conditions and
work-care tension satisfactorily either, the volume and quality of institutional child,
because it does not recognise the contrary elderly and durably ill patient care and on
interests of employers or that the two sets of how to increase the low amounts of uni-
interests could only be reconciled by changing versal benefits related to parental care and
the conditions of employment. More effec- family allowance, which have not increased
tive action is required to reduce such contra for ten years in Hungary.
dictions and to ensure that the (‘care free’) 9. Both the focus group and survey suggest that
life of an ‘ideal employee’ could change in the special attention should be paid to the voice
longer term. of the women aged 50-59 soon to face retire-
6. The feminist organisations should build ment. They are at a point in their lives when
closer cooperation with the movements they face special problems: instability in the
that focus on these issues. Such organisa- labour market, difficulties in finding new jobs
tions may include trade unions, movements and having to cope with the task of caring
of mothers raising disabled children, those for older family members. Due to their age,
fighting for women-focused birth care, for they encounter a number of situations in life
nurses and crèche employees. that highlight societal disadvantages related
11ANIKÓ GREGOR, ESZTER KOVÁTS | WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 2018
to women: employment while having young reflected in the ‘gender struggle’. A language
children, gender inequality at the workplace should be found to express structural disad-
and uneven burdens in family life. Their expe- vantages that grasps the inequalities in the
rience should be stressed in a more organised opportunities and potentials in life of women
form in order to find solutions and channelling and men in the same position in society
it into activism. without questioning the (low number and
10. The topics arising during the research, and fragile) individual trust-based relationships.
their descriptions, show partial overlaps with 12. More public discussion about the special
the language and main topics of Hungarian problems around the living and working con-
feminist activism. ditions of women would serve as a frame
a. Intimate partner violence was inten- through which the existing structural gender
sively discussed during the focus group inequalities would become more visible.
interviews. The survey revealed that both Besides increasing awareness of the societal
men and women expressed a need for a conditions of men and women, emphasis
greater role of the state in the issue. The should also be put on initiatives that recognise
degree of dissemination of this problem the provision of care as an activity important
and the need for the role of the state, are and valuable to society rather than an impedi-
strong arguments for the ratification of ment to employment, irrespective of whether
the Istanbul Convention, based on which, it is provided by a woman or a man.
funds should be allocated for treating 13. Families and small communities are the only
the systemic causes of violence against groups that people trust. They should be rein-
women and for providing more effective forced and all actors committed to gender
help to the victims. equality should come up with meaningful
b. The tension between employment and ideas in relation to them.
care was mentioned in the focus groups 14. Even if small communities cannot be
on many occasions and was referred to expected to come up with solutions for
as a much more irreconcilable conflict systemic problems, they can be the first step
than suggested by the ‘work-life balance’ in the reorganisation of the fabric of society
phrase. The survey confirmed the same: and, in a longer-term bottom up activism,
this tension caused the most serious which will be one of the main tasks in Hungary
problem for women. over the coming years.
c. The social disadvantages related to care 15. In summary, strategies are required that take
are not limited to childcare. Care for into account a wider interpretation framework
elderly, disabled or durably ill relatives than the current political opportunities:
is barely covered in the discourses dedi- a. processes of the last thirty years including
cated to the situation of women in society, feminist activism being trapped in the
while it is an extremely important topic framework of civil organisations;
according to the statements of women. b. Hungary’s situation on the semi-periphery
11. The women participating in the research do and the economic determination of femi-
not express these problems in a language nist demands;
antagonising to men. Naturally, all this may c. the reflection of global economic and
be explained with the fact that women lack a geopolitical processes in the global crisis
set of concepts needed to recognised oppres- of care, in the migration crisis and even
sion or that they are unable/do not dare to beyond;
make a clear statement, specifically due to the d. the systemic preconditions of gender equa
nature of oppression. All in all, it seemed to us lity beyond the desired norm changes.
that there is no demand for the confrontation
12About the authors Imprint
Anikó Gregor is an assistant professor at ELTE University, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Faculty of Social Sciences, where she delivers quantita- Issued by: Budapest Office
tive and qualitative research methodology courses. In H-1056 Budapest, Fővám tér 2–3, Hungary
research, she focuses on the sociology of gender. She is the Tel.: +36-1-461-60-11
author or co-author of a number of studies examining rela- Fax: +36-1-461-60-18
tions of neoliberalism, feminism and the system of gender E-Mail: fesbp@fesbp.hu
inequalities. Earlier she was in charge of a research group
at ELTE, which examined the presence of sexism and sexual www.fes-budapest.org/themen/geschlechtergerechtigkeit/
violence myths as well as the experience of sexual or other
sexual-based forms of violence among the students of the Responsible: Jan Niklas Engels
university.
Commercial use of all media published by the Friedrich-
Eszter Kováts is responsible for the Friedrich-Ebert- Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is not permitted without the written
Stiftung’s gender programme for East-Central Europe. In consent of the FES.
2015, she co-edited the volume Gender as Symbolic Glue.
The position and role of conservative and far right parties in
the anti-gender mobilizations in Europe (published by FES
and Foundation for European Progressive Studies). In
2016 she edited the volume Solidarity in Struggle – Feminist
Perspectives on Neoliberalism in East-Central Europe, and in
2017 The Future of the European Union – Feminist Perspectives
from East-Central Europe (both published by FES, and online
available).
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung – its mission in Hungary Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung – Budapest Office
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is committed to the funda- The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung‘s Budapest Office was estab-
mental values of social democracy: we stand by the princi- lished shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union and
ples of freedom, justice, solidarity, peace and cooperation. the 1989 regime change with the purpose of assisting and
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung strives to fulfill its mission in promoting the process of transformation aimed at the imple-
Hungary as well. As an “advocate of social democracy” we mentation of democracy and freedom in Hungary.
wish to contribute to the development of democracy, the At forums bringing together political and social actors the
rule of law and social justice in political and public life, as Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung‘s Budapest Office wishes to act as an
well as to an understanding between the peoples of Hungary “organization encouraging dialogue” by:
and Germany in a common Europe. Our partners represent- • organizing professional conferences with the participation
ing political life, trade unions, the media and civil society are of national and international experts and decision-makers
equally committed to these core values. • analyzing and reporting on current issues in Hungarian and
German society, as well as issues of European interest
• organizing education and further training programs
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily
those of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung or of the organization for
which the author works.You can also read
