A new “being a woman” index has been published, ranking countries around the world according to their position. The Oslo Peace Research Institute notes that Europe tops the list of the best countries in the world for women. However, there are significant differences between countries in the region.
Year after year, everything is getting better, but there is no doubt that society still needs to change.
This is demonstrated by today’s protest in Zagreb in front of the ADU, as well as new data on where the best life for women is.
There are as many as nine European countries among the top 10 countries for women, but there is no Croatia at the very top. The closest country to us in the top 10 is Austria. Denmark and the Scandinavian countries are at the very top, while Croatia is also in 25th place.
After European countries, we go to places “where it is worst to be a woman”. In Afghanistan and Yemen, you can freely beat your wife. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as many as a thousand women are raped every day. In Niger, girls as young as 10 are legally married.
Compared to the map of our neighborhood, we are better than Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia, and the lowest place was taken by Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Societies where women feel safe and thrive are more peaceful, democratic, ultimately and successful.
The research includes data that measures the inclusion, equality and safety of women. The first such event was made in 2017, and since then Croatia has only been growing. At least according to the data. The number of women who are educated is growing, they feel more financially independent, and politicians have also learned something, so the biggest jump is in the number of women representatives in the Parliament.
However, the fact that the number of women who feel safe is falling is worrying. How could it not be when Croatia is in third place in the EU according to the number of murders of women. Now we finally have a new law, with the aim of protecting women and children. The judicial framework is there, and we will see what practice will bring.
These are worrying data, and it is up to society as a whole to change these data.
