Author(s): Vera Katz / Language(s): Bosnian,Croatian,Serbian
Publication Year: 0
During socialist Yugoslavia, in Bosnian-Herzegovinian historiography, the emancipation of women was associated with her participation in the People’s Liberation Struggle. From 1942, when the organization of the Anti-Fascist Women’s Front of Yugoslavia was formally established, until 1953, when it was abolished at the Fourth Congress, this mass organization was more or less, and even under the full influence of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, depending on political circumstances. Although this women’s organization was publicly thanked for its successful work, with the constant remark that more women and better results are expected, prominent women members, as well as women fighters and women members of the Party did not participate in the highest emerging government institution during the war, as well as postwar period. The promises of the revolutionary government during the war time were fulfilled immediately after the war by constitutional and legal solutions. Women in socialist Yugoslavia received active and passive voting rights, equal pay with men for equal work, equality in family and inheritance law, the right to divorce, the right to share marital property, the right to protection of illegitimate children, paid maternity leave, the right to guardianship, etc., with tendency to expend legislation in favor of women. However, equality between women and men was more based on legislation and less on a fundamental change in female-male relations in everyday life because it was difficult to change the stereotype of the women as a caring mother, hardworking housewife and exemplary worker – so women did not have much time to socio-political activities. In addition, women were not brave enough to get rid of the imposed restrictions.
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