ZAGREB, July 2, 2024 – A new World Bank analysis presented today reveals that Croatia remains among the lowest-ranked EU countries for overall gender parity. Despite adopting European Union (EU) standards in gender equality, significant systemic issues persist, resulting in notable gender gaps across six areas: work, money, knowledge, time, power, and health.
The report titled "Croatia Gender Landscape 2024" highlights that while Croatian women have made considerable strides in human capital development, these advancements have not fully translated into improved labor-market outcomes or decision-making power.
For instance, Croatian girls outperform boys academically but do not see equivalent success in their careers. Women face a persistent employment gap, particularly during childbearing years, and earn less than men. The wage gap is reportedly widening over time. Additionally, Croatian women spend nearly 20 hours more on unpaid work than men each week. Although there has been some progress in political representation for women, their presence in high-level economic roles remains limited.
“Women represent half of Croatia’s population but the current lack of economic opportunities and flexible work arrangements, as well as social norms and stereotypes, are preventing them from reaching their full economic, political, and social potential,” said Nga Thi Viet Nguyen, World Bank Senior Economist for Poverty and Equity and lead author of the report. “The right policy mix can substantially advance gender equality in Croatia, bringing more robust and inclusive economic growth and multiple benefits for the whole society.”
The analysis outlines five policy recommendations to promote gender parity:
1. Expanding affordable and high-quality child and elderly care services to reduce the caregiving burden on women.
2. Implementing flexible work arrangements to support all parents but especially women during childbearing years.
3. Conducting targeted public awareness campaigns to challenge gender stereotypes.
4. Enforcing equal pay legislation and promoting programs that advance women into leadership positions.
5. Strengthening legal frameworks to enhance protections against discrimination and gender-based violence.
The event saw participation from representatives of the private sector, think tanks, academia, and civil society.
About the World Bank in Croatia
The World Bank has partnered with Croatia for over 30 years. During this period, it has supported more than 50 projects totaling almost $5 billion and provided knowledge and technical assistance through over 330 reports and studies.
Currently, the World Bank offers knowledge, technical assistance, and financing in areas such as digital transformation; green transition of the economy; justice service delivery; education; business environment; land administration; science and technology; post-earthquake reconstruction of key health and education facilities; social policy; deinstitutionalization; pension system modernization; long-term care; and public administration.