‘’In Croatia there are 2.678 unemployed women with disabilities, and lack of employment opportunities makes them additionally a vulnerable group, because they live below the rate of the rest of the society and are thus, prone to the development of psycho-physical symptoms that endanger their health’’, it is stated in the research.
The research undertalen by HZJZ, lasted one year and it was attended by 296 women with disabilities aged between 19 – 65 years, of whom 137 were employed and 159 unemployed.
“Our goal was to scientifically examine the quality of life for these women, especially because it is about young women aged 40, or whose quality of life, according to international rankings, is below the level of other citizens”, said project leader dr. Tomislav Benjak.
Examining the priorities in the lives of unemployed women with disabilities, researchers, among other things, determined that those are: the pleasure of family life, work, and the presence of a close person, while unemployment, the unaware environment and endangered health decrease the quality of their lives.
To the employed women with disabilities the sense of belonging to the community is important, along with the feeling of safety in their own future, good relationships with close people and enjoyment with friends.
The researchers therefore conclude that it is important to increase the number of employed women with disabilities, to enable them to re-training and undergoing additional training, provide them with social support “through self-help groups’’ and provide them with creative work.
The research was conducted by HZJZ in cooperation wit the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Croatian Employment Service, web portal Moj posao, and the Association for the Promotion of Ewual Opportunities – APEO.
The results of the research should, according to Mr. Benjak, contribute to the implementation of the National Strategy for Equalization of Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities.
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