SOCIAL MANAGEMENT - A PROBABLE SOLUTION OF
THE PROBLEM OF WOMEN'S UNEMPLOYMENT
According to the sociological investigations
in recent years the process of displacing of female labour power from the
labour market, particularly of women of prepencion age, is going on especially
large scale. The most positive way of solving this problem is not creating
hot-house conditions for women claimants to working places, but increasing
their competitiveness, that is educational level and professional skills.
That is the main purpose of the social management courses for unemployed
women-inhabitants of Moscow. The courses were arranged by the East-West
European Women Network Center (OWEN), interregional public block WOMEN
UNITY, Department of Labour and Employment of Government of Moscow, State
Service Academy under President of the Russian Federation and Management
and Women Enterprising Academy. Women above 35 with higher education, unemployed
and registered in the Department of Labour and Employnment were trained
there during a month.
"It is a shining example of practical cooperation between state
structures, education institutions and public organisations,"
- said the project coordinator Lyudmila Kabanova. - "We hope that
such courses will be held later on. Courses are proposed in Moscow and
Saint-Petersburg for other groups of women. Many women who have been trained
in the courses have found a job, others are developing their own social
projects. Besides Russian women now have their own club. It is supposed
to be an independent organisation."
According to female students themselves the courses have fulfilled
their purpose: they assissted unemployed women to win self-confidence again.
And knowledge of social sphere and social projects became one of the tools
of solving women unemployment problems.
WOMEN IN DANGER
In May 1996 in Saint-Petersburg a consultation
center for women-victims of rape in family was opened. Most of all workers
of the center deel with such problems as alcoholism and inerrelations between
generations. The main reason of conflicts is a lack of dwelling space.
Two lawyers and two psychologists provide women in need with consultations
free of charge, and if it is nessessary, treatment as well. Four social
workers assisst them in administrative and legal actions.
"WOMEN IN DANGER" is the first and unique
crisis center. After the opening 600 women have got aid and support. Services
of the center are free of charge and those small means allotted from the
city budget are hardly enough for the salary, the rest depends on private
donations.
The personnel of the center will be grateful for any kind of assisstance.
Recently a rehabilitation club attached
to a public organisation "HEALTH OF THE FATHERLAND"
was opened. According to the president of the club Venera Yanzakova the
idea to open such a club arose long ago. The fact is that "HEALTH
OF THE FATHERLAND" unites women suffering rheumatic arthritis.
This chronic, hardly curable disease frequently results in invalidity,
loss of usual quality of life and loneliness. The club was established
in order to help them to return to active life, to recover one's health
through communication and joint work. The doors of the club are open for
everybody who does not want to remain face to face with the disease. Members
of the club think about celebration of birthdays and holydays, arrangement
of parties and meetings with interesting people, pooling of experience
of overcoming the problems related to the disease, arrangement of picnics
and barbecues and even traveling abroad.
Women are very happy about their new club and sure that it will help
them to recover their health. A meeting hall was provided by a municipal
institution of medical, psychological and social assisstance to population
"KHOLIS". Its administration always understands
the needs of non-commercial organisations.