Maturity, experience and diligence of women over 50 are a way to initiate real changes in Croatian society.
Žene 50+ (Women 50+) Association was presented today at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb. Its goal is to bring together women over 50 years of age who can use their maturity, experience, diligence and desire for engagement to trigger changes in the society and thus give a contribution for this large, but almost unnoticed group of women older than 50, to come out of the shadows.
The association was presented by its founders Mladenka Šarić, Snježana Mlinarević, Ankica Mamić and Jelena Skorup, women with successful business careers in different areas who can certainly use their knowledge and energy to initiate real changes in Croatian society.
The reason for establishing the association are daily encounters with the ubiquitous problem of modern times, and in particular with the situation in which, for example, women over 50 lose their jobs. Unfortunately, their chances to get another job are very small and practically do not even exist. In the event that such a woman has an idea how to change its adverse life situation, they vey often encountered misunderstanding from people around them, and face a complete lack of support and rigidity from institutions. All this make it seem as if the modern society does not need women over 50 years of age, because they are seen to be too old for anything, forgetting that their experience and knowledge could actually be a lever and a tool for realization of many initiatives and projects.
“Our society is declaratory democratic and anti-discriminatory, but in fact there is no group which does not feel some form of discrimination. Women older than 50 are discriminated against, they are a disadvantaged and vulnerable group, which is made even more vulnerable by the economic underdevelopment of the Croatian society, in which even young women do not see their future, let alone women older than 50”, said Mladenka Šarić, president of the association, adding that it was precisely that fact which led her and co-founders Ankica Mamić, Snježana Mlinarević and Jelena Skorup to try to change that situation by establishing the Žene 50+ association.
The first concrete project of the association has already been launched. Specialized web portal One Nastupaju is a media platform for bringing together a large number of women from all parts of the society interested in participating in activities directed towards organized involvement of this age group in the social life. The website offers interesting articles, as well as high-quality and useful information, but will also be a space for gathering, exchange of views, experiences, and providing advice in various areas of activities and interests of Croatian women.
In addition to bringing together women from all parts of society and their networking, the aims of the association are to motivate and empower women to take over a more active role in all aspects of social life, promote entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial culture of business women, launch actions in providing equal opportunities and equal status of women in the economic, social and political life, and stimulating economic development based on knowledge, work skills and ethics, through the engagement of the true potential of mature women.
Today therefore marked the start of a positive story in which every woman over 50 can find its place, a place where they can share experiences of brave women who have used their own strength and initiative to came out of adverse life situations, a place where every woman can get the necessary advice and a place where social exclusion will not exist.
