Focus on Women and Men
Preface | Contents |
“Cherchez la femme“, says a well-known French expression. No wonder, that nowadays the statistician - both men and women - are focused mainly on women and their position in modern society, having arouse interest in problems of women. This above mentioned expression has not been unambiguously either confirmed or rebutted yet, nevertheless sorting statistical data on men and women by sex can help to achieve important democratic objectives. Differences between men and women rest on physical differences, as well as on differences in roles in life and preferences. Having respect to these differences in time and space means to accept how can those complicate females’ life aspirations or even to discriminate them.
Among the basic principles of a democratic state is to secure equal opportunities to all citizens to pursue their aspiration in life, irrespective of whether born as a male or female. Hence statistical data are fundamental objectives not only for a basis for decision-making of general government and legislators, but also for description and checking preconditions to eliminate unjustified differences between genders in daily practice.
This publication ensued, inter alia, from the paragraph 7.3 of the Government resolution No.: 456/2001 dated May 9, 2001 on “Updating trends in pursuing the policy of equal opportunities for men and women”. According its paragraph No. 7.3 the Government of the Czech Republic assigned to the Czech Statistical Office to publish statistical data on men and woman periodically. The Government of the Czech Republic aims to join one of conclusions of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The basic document of Beijing – Platform for Action – the UN member states are obliged inter alia “ to ensure that statistics related to individuals will be collected, compiled, analysed and presented by sex” related to an appropriate manner for users equipped inadequately. Edition of this publication results indirectly also from the process of the association of the Czech Republic with the European Union, as the European Communities set the goal of achieving equality in treating men and women, in consequence of the adoption of the Amsterdam Treaty. The gender analysis, based on survey of equal position of men and women, is a part of conceptual decision-making at all levels in the EU. Trends of development known in time activate the taking of remedial or precautionary steps, so that equality between men and women would be maintained, established or restored, respectively. The gender analysis is absolutely unthinkable without appropriate statistical data.
This year’s publication “Focus on Women, on Men” is providing updated statistical data obtained from statistical surveys usually till the end of 2002 year. As the last year you can find here the tables presenting international data comparisons.
This issue extended one year ahead is not the only one upgrading of the new edition. Allow us point out detailed data on Population and Housing Census 2001 and a new chapter No. 9 – Family and Housing, which bring lots of data obtained by a special survey. Data on family were gained from two independent sources, as follows: Population and Housing Census 2001 and selective surveys. We consider it to be a very positive contribution.
As far as the contents are concerned: the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the CR performed a specialised study on health condition of the Czech population (Health Interview Survey – HIS CR carried out in years 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2002), collecting data on smoking, consumption of alcohol, body weight, physical activity and chronic diseases. Other data obtained as a result of co-operation among the Ministry of Justice of the CR, Ministry of Interior of the CR, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the CR and Ministry of Health of the CR, are presented.
In this issue you can find many well-arranged graphs summarizing content of tables.
In spite of database extension (additional data gained from Population and Housing Census) a set of available data is still limited. Therefore it has not been possible to characterise all features of social position of women yet, to fulfil all international conclusions concerning elimination of potential discrimination of women. The main reason is partly data absence within a framework of surveys carried out by CZSO and other state institutions and partly not enough information about data sources within framework of non-state institutions and organisations. That is why all your comments and topics, etc., will be welcome. We hope that in close co-operation with users the quality of issue presented will rise and will contribute towards to better decision-making as far as of social position of women concern.