INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY MARKED IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, March 8 (Hina) - Staging different events, Croatian parties and non-government associations on Saturday marked International Women's Day, March 8, while Prime Minister Ivica Racan and his wife Dijana joined a campaign of women's non-government associations, called "Gender Equality Now". #L# The government can do something for gender equality, but it is not good if everything depends on the government, Racan said. Political parties must do more for women, but to make their stands convincing, they must prove that changes are taking place in their own gender structure, he added. Asked by a reporter to comment on a draft labour act which would worsen women's position because they will have difficulty finding permanent employment given their role of mothers, Racan said that "the final labour act will be slightly different because it will not extensively favour temporary employment, which should be more an exception than a rule". "If we reach agreement with our social partners on that issue, I am sure that temporary employment will be an exception," Racan said, adding that this was also a problem in developed countries. He voiced optimism regarding the improvement of living standards in Croatia. Asked by activists if he had seen their statement on the need to assume responsibility for political decisions regarding a possible war in Iraq, which they had sent to the government and parliament, Racan said he had no problem signing it and agreed that one should answer for one's actions. "We are aware of what the situation would be like in the event of a war... the government is well aware of the anti-war atmosphere among citizens, but we also have to avoid unnecessary conflicts with the world which would be detrimental to Croatia. Croatia does not support war and has demonstrated its wish more than other countries not to participate in the war, either directly or indirectly," Racan said. Representatives of women's non-government associations handed the PM the "Women's Solidarity Declaration". Officials of the Social Democrats today distributed roses to women in front of a cafe in downtown Zagreb. The women's initiative of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) organised a meeting of women party members and women who are not politically active and formed a pre-election women's network to help women in different situations, including finding employment. HNS leader Vesna Pusic said that although Croatia was a tradition- dominated society, progress was visible with regard to gender equality. The Anti-Fascist Women and the Gender Equality Centre organised a round table debate on women and anti-fascism in school books. Amnesty International Croatia marked Women's Day with a campaign against the violation of human rights in the Russian Federation and the signing of a petition urging the ratification of an additional protocol to the U.N.'s convention on the abolishment of all forms of discrimination against women in Russia. Women's Day was also marked by the Liberal Party. (hina) rml