Sexism, pay gap and abuse in spotlight of Intl Women's Day in Slovenia

The Gender Equality Research Institute believes 8 March is an opportunity to think about casual sexism and the effects the rise in cost of living is having on elderly women, a social group with the highest risk of poverty.

Another issue raised by the Gender Equality Research Institute is unpaid housework - after coming home from work, many women start second shift as they tackle housework.

Meanwhile, members of the Journalists' Association have posted a video vowing to fight sexist attacks and calling on other women targetted online to do the same.

A poll by the International Center for Journalists and UNESCO found in 2020 that three out of four female journalists have experienced online abuse and that 20% of these attacks progressed into physical assaults, the Journalists' Association said.

Moreover, the association She Knows, promoting better representation of women in public discourse, pointed out that for each woman that appears in the media there are three to four men.

The association has found that women represent only 27% of information sources in Slovenia, a share similar to the situation in the international environment.

However, the share of women in interviews has increased to 40% from a mere 20% recorded in 2017, the association has found, also noting that interviews with women are most likely to be aired or printed on International Women's Day.

The Club of Slovenian Diplomats and the International Women's Club Ljubljana hosted a roundtable debate about the role of women in diplomacy, business, culture and sport last night, with speakers sharing the view that reasons for poor representation and unequal opportunities are rooted in traditional patterns and expectations.

The 8 March Institute meanwhile pointed to its EU-wide campaign aiming to make pregnancy termination more accessible, as 20 million women in Europe do not have access to a safe abortion.

The Women's Lobby has called for a joint rebellion and solidarity in efforts against the arms race, war profiteering and the ultra rich living at the expense of the lives, health and safety of the majority.

Today, the European Parliament's Office in Ljubljana and the PEN writers' centre will host an event titled Women and Peace-Building.

Tomorrow, the student association Iskra will stage a rally in Ljubljana calling for better pay and working conditions in female-dominated occupations, while a group called Socialistrian Reading Club will organise a rally in Koper under the motto If We Strike, World Grinds to a Halt.

Meanwhile, President Nataša Pirc Musar will host the nominees for the Slovenian Woman of the Year award, while the Writers' Association will host a literary evening highlighting the work of female authors.

The Kinodvor cinema will meanwhile screen films made by female directors, while the 26th International Feminist and Queer Festival Red Dawns will wrap up on Sunday.