Formal equality under the law does not always mean equal opportunities in different areas
Formal equality between women and men in Ukraine (according to legislation) does not always guarantee the same chances for safety, a successful career, and access to medical care.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing an analysis of research by Sense Research over the past year.
Also read: They will come home: Ukrainians warned about a large-scale survey and its conditions
Why identical rules do not always mean equal opportunities
According to research findings on the status of women in Ukraine, formally identical rules do not always translate into equal opportunities.
Among the striking confirmations of this situation, the research agency recalls the example of the shelter system for victims of violence.
“Legislation defines these services as available to any adult victim. However, in practice, shelters in Ukraine are primarily oriented towards women,” the citizens were explained.
This means that women make up the vast majority of those in need of such protection.
Another example concerns economic opportunities.
During the study of the animation industry, Sense Research recorded a gap in median wages between women and men.
Among specialists with up to three years of experience, the median salary for women is about $1,000, while for men it is $1,300.
Meanwhile, among specialists with more than ten years of experience, women earn an average of $1,600, while men earn around $3,000.
The researchers note that this data is not representative of the entire industry (as it is based on a sample of 186 respondents).
At the same time, they demonstrate a trend that representatives of the professional community discuss.
Another example concerns access to medical care.
For instance, in a study on the challenges of diagnosing cancer, women reported twice as often that they had to combine undergoing examinations with work and family care.
Additionally, in qualitative interviews with specialists in the field of combating domestic violence, researchers noted that victims sometimes face distrust or minimization of the problem.
According to experts, some workers in the system may act under the influence of patriarchal or sexist attitudes, which affects how requests for help are perceived.
As a result, a certain number of cases go unregistered altogether (which underreports the actual number of official requests).
“Formal equality in legislation does not yet mean equality in everyday life,” stated Svetlana Bolman, founder and head of Sense Research.
She added that research shows: “real access to safety, support, or economic opportunities often depends on how institutions operate and what attitudes exist in society.”
In conclusion, the researchers emphasize that analyzing such practical data (based on research) helps:
- better understand the actual state of equality in society;
- formulate more effective solutions.
Recall that earlier we discussed what the monthly budget of Ukrainians actually looks like.
Additionally, we explained who among Ukrainians is guaranteed assistance from the UN (payments up to 10,800 hryvnias or food).
Also read about the little things that confuse Ukrainians in different countries.
