E magazine equalpower, autumn 2017, issue 1

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EQUALPOWER • AUTUMN 2017 / ISSUE 1 •

eMagazine for equality and diversity MACEDONIA, SLOVENIA, EUROPE


EQUALPOWER CHIEF-EDITOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR

mag. Natalie C. Postružnik Dejan Andonov

EDITOR

Nina Klančnik

EDITOR

Danaja Postružnik

EDITOR

Martina Špiljak

DESIGN

Gorazd Postružnik

ABOUT EQUALPOWER

eMagazin is part of the activities and tools, conducted within the project Equal Power to the Women by Izida Vita, Slovenia in cooperation with Institute of Communication Studies, Macedonia en.izidavita.si, gorazd@izidavita.si Cover photo: Perger 1757 d.o.o., family owned business since 1757 Project Equal Power to the Women is partially financed by the Ministry of foreign affairs of Republic of Slovenia Disclaimer: The content of the eMagazine represents the opinions of the authors and is not the official position of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia


EDITOR'S NOTE WHY EQUAL POWER? NATA SL EI LE INC A. RP IO CS HT ARU DŽ SNIK

Have you noticed, how little children don’t have

40 years ago Yugoslavia was a role model,

any problems with looking at its own reflection

cited even 20 years later in Europe and in

in the mirror? Happily dance in front of it, spin

the countries northern from us.

around, lough? They like themselves so much that they enjoy it greatly! Somewhere along the

How is the situation today, what has

way to adulthood we lost that pleasure on

happened after the independence of

watching ourselves in the mirror. True, it is

former Yugoslav republics, what is

something we do, because we have to – to brush

happening in Republic of Macedonia?

our teeth, manage up our appearances … the

Women, true, have more rights today than

pleasure got lost somehow. We experience some

in the whole history of the human kind,

sort of discomfort while looking at our wrinkles,

and at the same time women feel more

“irregularities”, “spots”, and of the kind.

miserable then when they were “just” housekeepers.

Quite similar behaviour is to be noticed with so called “women” topic – regardless of taking

There have never been so many

under the spotlight the gender balance in the

discussions on the talent management and

management process, setting the share on

gender balanced society as now, and yet,

decision-making positions (quotas), women

there have never been so few women on

management, women in politics … no joy there

top management position in Macedonia as

either, right? More pain and silence.

right now. Reason enough for EqualPower project?

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SIMONA TRPOVSKA

DANIJELA KANAET

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WHY EQUAL POWER

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INFOGRAPHICS ON GENDER EQUALITY IN POLITICS

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SUCCESS STORY: SIMONA TRPOVSKA

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TESTIMONY: VALENTINA DISOSKA

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FACTS TO BE AMAZED AND DISAPPOINTED

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BLOGS: INEQUALITY KILLS DEMOCRACY // APPLE WITHOUT ...?

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GENDER EQUALITY: SMART THING TO DO

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EQUAL RIGHTS OR AN ILLUSION?

VALENTINA DISOSKA

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SKOZI PLES DO SEBE


AUTHOR:

AUTUMN 2017

Nastja Vintar

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SUCCESS STORY

WOMEN ACHIEVE EXCELLENT RESULTS IN TRAININGS FOR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

At only 26 years of age, Simona Trpovska from Ohrid has a successful career and professional credibility as an Internationally Certified Coach. For five years she has been a consultant for programmes for strategic management, HR management and financial management for companies. After completing her MBA studies in Macedonia and acquiring an international certificate as a coach in the Netherlands, today she owns the company ‘I-DS Coaching and Consulting’. She advises her clients how to make positive changes and innovations in the organizational culture, how to achieve sustainable development and to skillfully manage investment projects and financial risks.

WOMAN IF YOU ARE A S AND NT WEARING PA D IF YOU AN FLAT SHOES AN, IT DOES ACT LIKE A M HAT YOU NOT MEAN T TTER WILL BE A BE MANAGER.

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Simona Trpovska, Internationally Certified Capital Coach Trpovska says: ‘These programmes open up people’s horizons and they pose new questions, and managers become more aware of their employees’ progress’. She finds it interesting that the women participating in these programmes are particularly engaged, they show a lot of creativity and dedication and they achieve excellent results in the trainings for management positions. Nevertheless, in the words of Trpovska, after they successfully complete the training and they obtain a certificate, it often happens that they do not move to a higher level in their jobs.

The certificate is simply put up on an office wall, and in most cases the management positions go to male colleagues, who got to that position because they are men, despite their worse results from the training. Although we are living in a modern world, prejudice still exists in terms of men being better bosses than women, Trpovska believes. She also says: ‘Men believe that they are more stable, because women primarily have other obligations – the children, the home, giving birth, maternity leave… This contributes to them not seeing the qualities of women.


Photo: Robert Atanasovski

Most often she works for companies in Western Europe and she believes that the status of gender equality in the economy is also similar in more developed European countries. Her experience in Switzerland, for instance, shows that it is rare to see a woman in a high position in some company. At a training course for 90 bank employees, only eight were women and they occupied lower positions compared to their male colleagues. And the women that were on the same managerial level with the men were paid 20 percent less. Her experience in Austria is more positive.

In most companies there were many women managers, however their salaries were still smaller. Trpovska says: ‘The fact that women dress just like their male colleagues is very interesting – pants, shirt, jacket, flat shoes, they even speak like men. It sometimes seems insecure, looking at them from the opposite perspective, it does not look like they leave the impression of professional stability’. She feels that very often when she gets hired as a trainer, male managers tend to be sceptic at the beginning and they question whether they are making a smart financial investment because they got a female educator, rather than a male one. ‘

After one hour of talking about the work, I notice that their confidence levels go up, since they got a chance to see my qualities’, Trpovska says. She believes that if managers give a fair chance to all good and dedicated workers of the company, they will get a higher competition among the staff and the employees will do their work better. And her advice for the women who are looking to get to a higher position in the company is: ‘Stop trying to impress someone, instead of that be yourselves at your job, since any changes you make will come through as insecurity’. | 07

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TESTIMONYÂ

VALENTINA DISOSKA, PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR BUSINESS WOMEN


My career started while I was still a student. Even back then I was able to use what I was learning and to turn it into allowance money. Studying architecture, the desire to learn something new and to do creative work has always fulfilled me. I took on each new engagement with admiration and saw it as a challenge. This does not mean that the conditions for work or the financial benefits were always good, on the contrary. However, I never held back in my work, nor have I missed an opportunity to learn something new in life. For 17 years I have been working in entrepreneurship, with highs and lows and with many lessons learned. My goals have always been and will always be set high. Also, all of the activities and challenges are a huge satisfaction. The opportunity to make my own living, to feel the power of decision making, problem solving, organizational and leadership activities, moving forward… have made me even stronger. I consider my work in the Association for Business Women as love and a challenge, because with the involvement of women in entrepreneurship we get higher employment, reduction of poverty and opening of new horizons and opportunities for women, and at the same time we contribute to their higher participation in the economy. By strengthening female entrepreneurship we have a double role in strengthening our society – firstly, we play a key role in strengthening the economy and secondly, we are actively working on gender equality. My message to young women is – do not be afraid of working, continuing your education and of challenges. All new knowledge and skills will help you cope better with your future challenges! Photo: Robert Atanasovski

Worldwide facts about gender inequality - Only 30 percent of the world's researchers are women. - In 2015, only half of the world’s working-age women are in the labor force, compared to 77 percent of working-age men. - Women with full-time jobs still earn only about 77 percent of their male counterparts’ earnings. - Only 22.8 percent of all national parliamentarians were women as of June 2016, a slow increase from 11.3 percent in 1995. - As of June 2017, only 2 countries have 50 percent or more women in parliament in single or lower houses: Rwanda with 61.3 percent and Bolivia with 53.1 percent. - Gender balance in political participation and decisionmaking is the internationally agreed target set in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. | 09

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BLOGS NAVDIHNI.ME

Gender inequality is not taken seriously in Macedonia. The fact that

INEQUALITY IS KILLING DEMOCRACY, ESPECIALLY GENDER INEQUALITY

the laws do not contain norms for discrimination is perceived as proof that discrimination does not exist and that gender equality has been achieved.

This is especially evident during elections, regardless whether it is national parliamentary elections, state presidential elections, local elections or if it is appointment of officials to high managerial positions following a change in government. ResPublica blog of Mirjana Mirchevska, PhD.

Read more

Over the next few months, 12 thousand employees in Apple’s head office in Cupertino, California will finalize their move to a new and extravagant location.

The ‘Spaceship’ stretches over 260 thousand square meters and it includes a two-story yoga center, running tracks even revolutionary pizza boxes that keep the crust crispy.

However, there is one thing you will not find there, and that is a children’s day care center.

Read more

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ASSIGNING SIGNIFICANCE TO ‘WOMEN’S WORK’

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E X P L O R E

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B A R C E L O N A

E D I T I O N

Harvard University: »Gender Equality: The Smart Thing To Do« Few years ago Harvard Kennedy School created a film »Gender Equality: The Smart Thing To Do« within the Women and Public Policy Program. In this video you can see and hear what some representatives in academia, business, development and politics think and talk about gender diversity in organizations, politics and society, about good practices and benefits. To find out more about the business case for gender equality, watch video on this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdOcjKsUqOI

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EQUAL RIGHTS OR AN ILLUSION? MARTINA INTERVIEW A

OULD BE EQUALITY SH L ASPECTS VISIBLE IN AL E FAMILY OF LIFE, IN TH AT WORK. AS WELL AS

WITH

WOMEN

ŠPILJAK DANIJELA

WITH

GREAT

Fight for the women's rights began in 19th century, when women started to get education and jobs, thus demanding participation at decision-making process, also in politics. New Zealand was the first country in the world, where women got voting rights (not so long ago in 1893). But it took time between the world’ wars, that women embraced that rights elsewhere. Since then women’s movement for more rights and righteous parts in society has been growing stronger. During last hundreds of years number of working places, where women and men have the same roles and tasks, has been increasing. But is that a fact or just an illusion?

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About the power and positions of women in today’s society we talked with Danijela Kanaet. She has lived, got education and worked in several countries in Europe with different cultures, habits and values. Her vast experiences she has gained in a huge international company. She has climbed the hierarchy thanks to her devoted work and endless energy; she managed to turn challenges and obstacles into opportunities,

KANAET, W

thus creating situations into her favour and achieving high-end results, for which she got rewarded many times. She is also an active member of PWN (Professional Women's Network) Zagreb, one of the subsidiaries of PWN Global, which since 2004 operates in 12 different countries from USA, Europe and Middle East. “My first thought is, how sad it is, that we in our ‘civilised’ word still have to dwell on these questions, gender equality,” emphasis Danijela for starters. We are surrounded with so many opportunities and programs, enhancing women to be entrepreneurs, to develop skills, competencies and knowledge; but at the same time, do we value women the same as men? Do we all have the same opportunities, do the power gets the same respect no matter of gender? “I believe, that these programs have given women a chance to believe in themselves and to start something new, what they have been only dreaming about. What makes me uncomfortable is, that this can only be one of the modern trends, which can disappear leaving no visible results – just as quick diat.”


We can often observe, that women are “solo” while looking for their career or on their entrepreneurial path, struggling among roles of a mother, worker, woman. They encounter resistance on their each step, no matter of changing perception of women in the society from the main task as care-taker of the family. Even more often we face situation, where woman looses a chance to get a promotion or a reward, because she has chosen to be a mother. Life’s experiences of women are often, that their roles are very demanding and women give up on being a fulltime-mother– and they are being judged for that decision.

Women’s rights are highly developed in Sweden and Nordic countries; so I was lucky to comprehend that in my crucial time of growing up. There was usual already 30 years ago that father and mother spent equal time on ‘maternity leave’.” “I built my career actively in Italy and than in Croatia. With 35 I felt I want to have a family and I am overwhelmed that I made that decision! My career became less important – but it was skyrocketed, which could only happen with huge support from my partner, “ says Danijela. And promotions, commendations, titles followed.

Well, we are still not equal regarding payment and benefits. For the same amount of work and the same accomplishments men get paid more then women. Do women give up to soon fighting for their rights, tired from all tasks, roles and obstacles, put in their ways? There must be moments, when every one of us starts doubting his/hers constant fight. But there are many more things that can be done, all of us, each of us, in order to influence the change in families, our environment, in society, community, work-place etc. Danijela searched for answers and arguments for such decisions:

“My life experience has been shaped by three different cultures. I grew up in Sweden and Italy, returning to Croatia as a grown-up person. Sweden has influenced my way of thinking the most.

CHANGE WE CAN E ING, IF W O H T Y R E V T E R POWER HOLD OU S, NOT VE OUR SEL RING IT TO R TRANSFE , OTHERS

Photo: Danijela Kanaet, personal archive | 13

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“Each time I have pointed out to our HR department the differences in payroll and benefits, their explanations were truly creative, only to be justified for their actions. I was unsuccessfull, though. I could pinpoint that decision to the working environment, to the company, to the society – but it was me and only me, who has accepted, that my work was worth less to them, when I have accepted their financial package. In some way I have handed out my power to others – and they have made their decision, ‘as simple as that’!” “Problem of inequality and empowering of women is problem of society, but only individual can solve it. Only individual can awake the wish for change within him/herself.

You have to build faith and trust in our own system of values and in picture of our value, our self-worthiness, self-confidence while hitting the harsh reality.

where still a critical number of people believe, women are inferior to men, be it politically or financially, regardless the fact we all have the same rights.

We have to keep our self-esteem, being aware of our skill-set – we, women, forget that often, hence the problem of our selfperception of not being worth more of better! This is a classical problem with women, and almost non-existing with men.

We asked Danijela, what measures and steps can be made to get to the point of equality.

So what’s next? What can each of us do in this moment? Around us there are available many little steps to move forward, initiatives, our consciousness is awaking and we are talking a lot about gender (in)equality. Well, there is a whole other dimension, deeply rooted within out society,

"It is encouraging, that most men and women over the world believe in the equal opportunities … but at the same time, most of them still believe, that the rights are not truly equal,” Kully KaurBallagan, principle of Ipsos MORI, who conducted research on the International Women’s Day 2016. According to his research, 24 countries, including Brasil, Canada, Russia, UK, India and Sweden, over 50 % of participants called themselves “feminists”, and 1/4 claimed to be “scared” of fighting for women’s rights. At World’s Economic Forum they said, that the pay-gap index (of men/women payment) will not be economically equal for another 170 years. That is more then 2 lifespans. (Source: Business insider) EQUALPOWER

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“Hard question. I am afraid, that our children will not live long enough to live in the world of equality, unless a collective awakening through each individual empowerment will take place. Take a look at Island, for example. Approximately a year ago women left their work-place at 14:38, to show the differences of payments between men and women, which is around 14-18% lower. First thought: Wow, what an achievement! And right after that: sobering. Women left their workplaces for the first time in 1975. In timespan of 10 years they diminished the difference for only couple of minutes!

ER F SHE O S T O MEN IN MO SM I LOVE T RE I E OPTIM E, THAT TH V BELIE AN BE THIS C STILL TIVE C HE COLLE NING OF T E AWAK Y AND ITS T SOCIE ESS. R PROG


Taking into consideration, that their pay-gap is only 14-18 %, Island will take another 52 years (!) to get equal! And the workload at home is pretty much equally distributed among men and women! The conclusion is, that we need a serious curriculum reform, which would contain equality as a part of educational plan. Without changes in the way how girls are being raised and how boys, there will not be a true change in the society. For example: this summer I talked to a young 21-year old woman, super student at Faculty of Electronics and Computer Sciences, who is an entrepreneur as well.

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I asked her, how the share of men vs women at this faculty nowadays was – app. 60:40. Then I wanted to know, how the perception of that share was. She says, all great and supportive by the professors; on the other hand, while doing some team work with male students, they often treat a female student as someone, who will make coffee and get papers in order. I felt really uncomfortable, but I liked it a lot, that this young woman had the strength in her, to shake off this way of thinking as if it were dust.

TAKE-AWAYS

BY

Today the whole world is fighting for or against something. These continuous fights, as the words implicates, make us aggressive, not in line with ourselves, not with others and not with nature. People should live in peace, harmony and tolerance (I don’t want to use the word love in this context), only then would we be able to build egalitarian societies, focused on wellbeing of constituents without fights, competitions and games of power. In moments of sheer optimism I love to believe, that there still can be this collective awakening of the society and its progress.”

DANIJELA

1. Say No, when the answer should be “no”. “No” is a “no”, it is not “maybe” nor “yes”. 2. Be careful with selecting your words and of use of strong words, avoiding all words that make your message weaker (“just”, “I think”, “I believe”, “It seems” … etc.) 3. If needed, always apologize! 4. Don’t try to please everybody – this is mission impossible and it will cost you too much of your energy. 5. Lack of respect is not tolerable – not at home nor at work. 6. Don’t try to accomplish everything by yourself. Yes, you are a superhero, but there is no need to show that to the whole world. 7. Have clear goals and visions … and follow them. If you don’t have your own goals, others will lead you to theirs. 8. Make sure, that you take credit for your idea, not someone else. 9. Be accountable for yourself and your life’s decisions. At the end of the day you are exactly there, where your decisions led you to.

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• AUTUMN 2017 / ISSUE 1 •

eMagazine for equality and diversity MACEDONIA, SLOVENIA, EUROPE


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