« Vissza

On 1th of September, 2014 was held in Szentendre a workshop in frame of MANORKA project in exchange program between Norwegian and Hungarian elected women.

Summary

"Women for Women, Womanhood with Norwegian Eyes”

1 September, 2014, Szentendre

 Photos about the workshop

Bilingual publication of the local program

Participants: heads of institutions, leading politicians, citizens.

 

The mayor of Szentedre, dr. Ferenc Dietz, welcomed the participants. He was delighted to see so many women institutional directors, politicians, local artists despite being Saturday. In his introduction,  he talked the about the “Town for Women” programme of Szentendre that came to birth not because of legal obligations, but through the natural need that women should also have access to adequate working conditions that may be adjusted to the conditions of family life and free time and a liveable town should be created for men and women equally, as well as families through the modern tools of planning. The mayor stressed that the protection of cultural values, the creation of equal opportunities for men and women and the representatives of all social groups are the basic characteristics of European values without which no solidarity or cohesion may exist.

 

Ágnes Zakar, the pilot participant of the MANORKA project, talked about her experiences gathered during the study-trip to Norway. The councillor spoke briefly about the situation of women in Norway, she called the attention of those present to the fact that in Norway besides having the highest fertility rate in Europe one may also find the highest level of women full-time employment. The councillor had the chance to visit several public local institutions, the local kindergarten, school, social home, municipal office, cultural centre, social and health office, she met women employees, head of institutions, politicians.

Voluntarism plays an important role in the life of Stange, where a separate centre of volunteer work operates that links those who seek services with those providing services, thus in fields like gardening, babysitting, transport etc. The voluntary centre has one permanent employee who reports to the mayor on a regular basis.

Ágnes Zakar wishes to extend the scope of the Szentendre Town for Women programme based on the experiences gathered in Norway, she wishes to create a voluntary centre similar to that of the one in Stange, she would like the local government to extend summer camps for children, develop more parks, playing corners, parking lots for young mothers. She also would like to organize regular presentations on issues affecting women.

 

Eva Sognebott from Stange, presented the legal and historical background of gender equality in Norway, she also stressed that to be successful as women it is also as important to have a stable family background and family support as a suitable governmental approach and legislative measures. 

 

Dr. Ildió Molnár, leading notary talked about the history of women rights, the Hungarian context of gender equality, presented important data from Europe and other countries of the world concerning the assessment of women role, participation of women at the job market and in the civil life and also talked about the Hungarian legislative measures concerning women employment.

 

The event was closed down by a discussion in the course of which the participants discussed and proposed measures as to whom Szentendre may extend its “Town for Women” programme. The proposals were all written down and those present discussed them. The proposals were the following:

 

1. Women friendly workplaces: a title should be donated to workplaces living up to the standards of a woman friendly workplace, partial working hours, flexible working hours, home office should be part of the options for women
2. Everyday life: Creation of a greener environment, improvement of traffic for women
3. Health and Age: Support of the employees over 50, support of those recovering from a long illness in finding new employment
4. Help of solitary women, voluntary work: Creation of a child care system where high school students care for children in the afternoon on a voluntary basis. Involvement of more civil organisations in summer camps. Helping of elderly women on a voluntary basis.
5. Work-life balance:  introduction of home office, raising the sensibility of young people at an early age to the topic of gender equality. At this category, client based violence was discussed, where the representative of TÖOSZ, Veronika Krausz called the attention of those present to DW project of TÖOSZ.

 

In the course of the round table discussion, it became obvious that in Szentendre in the circle of civil servants, long-years of work experiences are highly appreciated and women work forces are more acknowledged in the public administration than in the private enterprises.

 

Ágnes Zakar, proposed that Szentredre create a Women friendly working place title, that is donated to such workplaces where young mothers, women over 50 and equal opportunities in general receive special attention. The councillor prepared position papers for the body of representatives on the pilot program and the proposals discussed in the course of the round-table discussion which she handed in for the body of representatives.

 

At the workshop, we heard some pieces of beautiful music performed by Zsófia Lindner Sárközi and the Sárarany orchestra. Zsófia herself is a successful artist who is a mother, a working person and at the same time studies at the university, as such she is an excellent example of how one can find a balance between free time, family and work in everyday life.

 

 

Prepared by Veronika Krausz, Secretary of international affairs

« Vissza