Local Democracy Agency Sisak, as the member of the Equality Forum, organised the public debate “Social (in)equality in Croatia: from international comparison to local impact on Sisak-Moslavina region citizens”, held on the 29 September 2016 in Sisak popular exhibition place “Holland House”.
Equality Forum is the open platform of organisations working on equality achievement for all citizens in Croatia, and according to which the debate gathered citizens debating on social inequality representation in Croatia, comparing to other countries; Croatia’ position on different social inequality aspects; and on the Sisak-Moslavina region citizens’ energy poverty and possible solutions of related problems.
Introduction word gave the LDA Sisak President, Mrs Paula Raužan, followed by the dr.sc. Goranka Lalić Novak, the Vice-president of the Croatian Legal Centre, who open the debate on behalf of the Equality Forum and continue to moderate it. Citizens had opportunity to hear findings of an on-going survey, which the Equality Forum is conducting in the area of whole Croatia, gathering citizens’ opinions on their perspective of the social inequality.
Two key speakers gave introduction in the topic; dr.sc. Branko Ančić from the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb with his lecture “Comparative social inequality in Croatia and selected countries” and dr.sc. Maja Božičević Vrhovčak, Executive director of the DOOR- Society for Sustainable Development Design, with her lecture “Energy poverty – research of energy characteristics and energy costs of the Sisak-Moslavina region the poorest households”.
The results of the first empiric research on energy poverty conducted among the poorest households of the Sisak-Moslavina region is presented and citizens get to know about energy poverty itself and how energy efficiency measures can support and help the poorest citizens in lowering their living costs.
The conclusions the debate are that no matter to existing resources and material wealth which put our country in the third of the World’ richest countries, citizens of Croatia are facing daily different forms on inequalities in all area of life; economy, politics, health, basic human existence and social life in general. It is necessary to take new measures in order to improve very bad situation in our society, which is permanently perturbing due to poor resource redistribution. Highlight is on quality educational system that should motivate young people to take more active role in community life and by which to give their contribution in creating decisions that might lower existing social inequalities as much as possible.
