It's good to be a woman in Hungary – conference
On International Women's Day, we held a conference entitled "It's good to be a woman in Hungary" at KINCS. During roundtable discussions on women in public life, female politicians and public figures shared their thoughts.
In her welcoming speech, Tünde Fűrész emphasized that women in Hungary have access to many opportunities that are unheard of in other EU countries. The president of KINCS emphasized that the situation of Hungarian women has improved in terms of family support, the labor market, education, public life, and healthcare.
During the first roundtable discussion, the female state secretaries from the Ministry of Culture and Innovation engaged in conversation with Dr. Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation. The minister emphasized that not only is it good to be a woman in Hungary, but also to be a man because of women. He emphasized that this ministry is the ministry of patriotism, and that women state secretaries hold a two-thirds majority.
Dr. Zsófia Koncz emphasized that it is good to be a woman and a mother in Hungary. The State Secretary for Families said that she can draw on her experiences as a woman and a mother in her work, helping her to better understand the needs of families. She mentioned that one of the achievements of the past 15 years is that Hungarian families can live in a safe and predictable environment, which is further strengthened by the measures of the family support system. The nursery system helps to reconcile work and private life, and today, nurseries provide security for mothers in 1,260 municipalities.
Veronika Varga-Bajusz said that women in Hungary are provided with a safety net that allows them to avoid having to choose between a career and a family. The State Secretary for Higher Education, Vocational and Adult Education and Youth said that among her achievements in her work, she is most proud of the Pannonia Scholarship Program and the family-related measures that support higher education students who are raising children.
Magdolna Závogyán, State Secretary for Culture, praised women's community organizing and problem-solving skills. Among the achievements, she highlighted that from 2021, all local governments will be required to employ a public education specialist and that approximately 15,500 people in over 1,600 settlements in the Carpathian Basin participate in various specialist clubs on a weekly basis.
Anita Kiss-Hegyi said that there are currently 27 Hungarian institutes operating in 25 countries, headed by an equal number of female and male directors. According to the State Secretary Responsible for Cultural Relations, foreign nationals can also gain insight into the situation of Hungarian women through Hungarian institutes abroad, and in their experience, foreigners' opinions of Hungarian women are extremely positive.
During the second roundtable discussion, which was moderated by Tünde Fűrész, Hajnalka Juhász, the vice president of KDNP, spoke about the complexities of being a female politician: decisiveness is required in parliament, but it is also important to preserve one's femininity and the role one plays in the family.
Katalin Kardosné Gyurkó, the Prime Minister's Commissioner responsible for coordinating the child protection foster care system and adoption systems, emphasized that one of the most important tasks for female politicians is to have an authentic presence and to share experiences with decision-makers. She believes that women's sensitivity enables them to identify unspoken issues, which has led to the implementation of car purchase subsidies for large families and income tax exemptions for mothers of three children.
Csilla Fazekas also pointed out that women have a social and economic role in addition to their traditional family role. The deputy mayor of Budavár stated that the most important qualities associated with being a woman — community building, empathy, and a willingness to compromise — are also particularly valuable in public life.
