ČR ranks 43rd in gender equity index

Prague, March 7 (CTK) - The Czech Republic came 43rd among 154 countries in the 2012 gender equity index (GEI) just released by Social Watch, which is a slight improvement on the previous year.

The survey ranks the countries in accordance with a selection of GEI indicators, including women's education and employment, their incomes compared with men and the share of women in managing positions.

The Czech Republic won 73 points out of 100 possible, compared with 68 in 2009. Slovakia, Hungary as well as Botswana or Kyrgyzstan, for instance, gained the same number of points.

The report was issued on the occasion of International Women's Day falling on March 8.

Marcela Adamusova, from Forum 50%, said the number of women in the Czech Chamber of Deputies has increased only by chance.

"This was only attained ad hoc with the help of preferential votes, not with a change to the long-time stand of the main political parties in the Czech Republic on a balanced representation of women and men in political decision-making," Adamusova said.

"Women's participation in decision-making in politics and in the economy is still low in the Czech Republic," she said.

According to various studies and statistics, women in the Czech Republic receive salaries about one fifth lower than men's for the same work, which is then reflected in old-age pensions.

Men's average old-age pension was 11,700 crowns and women's 9584 crowns at the end of last year.

Women account for 22 percent of deputies to the Chamber of Deputies and less than 19 percent in the Senate.