The Czech government is obliged to guarantee equality for men and women. Despite that, it recognizes this duty only in theory; in practice it contravenes the principles of this formal agreement. The government’s programme, politics, legislation, and state budget and governmental structures are marked by a lack of gender equity and the failure to promote women’s rights. The hidden structural mechanisms causing gender discrimination can be analyzed by means of a gender audit of the government. This is an effective tool for defining the most critical areas of state politics, and it creates a relevant strategy for challenging negative effects. In doing so, a gender audit of the government can also be a rich source of public education and can help to promote public and political discussion on the topic of gender issues. In this article, the author argues in favour of carrying out a gender audit of the Czech government and its politics. She explains how certain areas of politics affect men and women differently, and how their gender correct transformation can positively contribute to democratic and just governance., Tereza Handlová., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Based on qualitative research of women that cared in the past or care now for their frail elderly mothers, this article aims to describe and explain some of the factors leading to the predominance of women in informal care for the elderly. The article builds on Sandra Harding’s and Joan W. Scott’s concept of gender. Their concept defines gender as a category operating at multiple interconnected levels. Based on the analysis of interviews with biographical components, we show the impact of cultural and structural factors on women’s decisions to take care, and how these factors are gender structured. Among cultural factors we focus on the process of socialization; we analyse the effect of gender norms of care and the issue of cultural taboos in intimate care. Among structural factors we focus on paid work, the gender division of labour in the family and non/availability of formal care services. On the basis of caregivers’ stories we show how these factors coherently and simultaneously strengthen the connection between women and providing hands-on care. We also identify emerging disruptions in this gender-conservative model of informal care., Radka Dudová, Romana Volejníčková., and Obsahuje použitou literaturu
Based on qualitative research of women that cared in the past or care now for their frail elderly mothers, this article aims to describe and explain some of the factors leading to the predominance of women in informal care for the elderly. The article builds on Sandra Harding’s and Joan W. Scott’s concept of gender. Their concept defines gender as a category operating at multiple interconnected levels. Based on the analysis of interviews with biographical components, we show the impact of cultural and structural factors on women’s decisions to take care, and how these factors are gender structured. Among cultural factors we focus on the process of socialization; we analyse the effect of gender norms of care and the issue of cultural taboos in intimate care. Among structural factors we focus on paid work, the gender division of labour in the family and non/availability of formal care services. On the basis of caregivers’ stories we show how these factors coherently and simultaneously strengthen the connection between women and providing hands-on care. We also identify emerging disruptions in this gender-conservative model of informal care.
In a European comparison, the Czech Republic is one of the countries where motherhood has the biggest negative impact on women’s employment participation. Some researchers explain this situation as resulting from Czech mothers’ preferences for a long-term interruption to their labour market participation. Others stress that preferences are structurally and culturally embedded and identify barriers to the return of Czech mothers to the labour market. In this article, the author first introduces a critique of the theories that focus on preferences in work-life balance studies. Second, inspired by the critique and based on a representative survey of the Czech adult population from 2010 focused on life course histories, the author analyses changes in the length of women’s employment interruptions caused by motherhood since the 1950s and describes the current refamilization model applied in Czech society. Subsequent analysis of biographical interviews with mothers of small children provides an insight into their decision-making about returning to the labour market, and the analysis also shows that statistical evidence of the increase in the economic inactivity of Czech mothers often relates to their involvement in unpaid or unofficially paid economic activities. These strategies are the result of their structurally and culturally constrained decision-making and limited opportunities to achieve work-life balance. At the end of the day, these factors strengthen long-term gender inequalities in the society., Hana Hašková., 3 tabulky, Poznámky na str. 39 (11), Biografická poznámka o autorce článku na str. 52, Obsahuje bibliografii, and Resumé o klíčová slova anglicky na str. 40