Showing posts with label Freedom March. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom March. Show all posts

26 January, 2025

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙂𝙋𝙏 / Unveiling the Hidden Workforce: Tackling Inactivity in Croatia's Labor Market // Introduction ///

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/
  • Introduction
  • The Inactivity Problem: A Snapshot
  • Systemic Influences: Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, and Big Oil
  • Breaking the Cycle: Solutions for a Sustainable Future
  • Conclusion


According to the 2021 Census data released by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, the educational attainment of Croatia's population aged 15 and over is as follows:

  • Elementary education or less: 20.4%
  • Secondary education: 55.5%
  • Higher education: 24.1%

These figures indicate a significant improvement over the past decades. In 1961, over 85% of the population had only elementary education or less, while just 12.6% had completed secondary education, and a mere 1.8% had higher education. By 2021, the share of the population with higher education had risen to 24.1%, reflecting a continuous increase in educational attainment.

Regionally, the City of Zagreb leads with 39.1% of its population having completed higher education, followed by Primorje-Gorski Kotar County at 28.1% and Dubrovnik-Neretva County at 26.8%. In contrast, Virovitica-Podravina County has the lowest share at 13.1%, with Bjelovar-Bilogora County at 14.5% and Brod-Posavina County at 14.9%.

Additionally, Croatia ranks among the top in the European Union for the percentage of young people aged 20–24 who have attained at least upper secondary education. In 2021, all four Croatian regions reported very high shares, placing the country alongside Ireland and Greece in this regard.

These trends highlight Croatia's ongoing progress in enhancing educational attainment across its population.

In 2023, the employment rate for recent higher education graduates (aged 20-34) was 84.4%, which is below the EU average of 87.7% but represents a 3.7 percentage point increase from 2022.

The labor force participation rate also varies with educational attainment. In 2023, individuals with higher education comprised 32.8% of the labor force, while those with only elementary education or less accounted for 5.2%. Notably, the share of individuals with vocational school education was the largest, at 58.6%.

These statistics underscore the positive correlation between higher educational attainment and improved employment opportunities in Croatia.

Vocational school education is considered a form of secondary education. Secondary education typically includes general secondary schools (such as grammar schools or "gymnasiums") and vocational schools. In Croatia, vocational schools prepare students for specific trades or professions and are a key part of the secondary education system.

The main types of secondary education in Croatia are:

  1. Gymnasium (General Secondary Education): Focused on preparing students for higher education with a broad curriculum.
  2. Vocational Schools: Offering specialized training for various trades and professions, such as technical, medical, or arts-focused programs. These can vary in length, typically lasting 3-4 years.

Both types of education provide students with qualifications for further studies or entry into the labor market, with vocational education directly linked to specific occupational skills.

The system where vocational school students alternate between theoretical learning in schools and practical experience in business entities is often referred to as the dual education system. It is a structured approach used in several countries, including Croatia, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. While the intention is to equip students with job-ready skills and real-world experience, the system must ensure that the line between practical education and child labor is not blurred. Here’s my perspective:

Positive Aspects:

  1. Skill Development: Hands-on experience allows students to gain practical knowledge and develop job-specific skills that may be harder to acquire in a purely academic setting.
  2. Employment Readiness: Students are better prepared for the workforce, often leading to higher employability rates after graduation.
  3. Industry Engagement: Businesses can shape students' skills to match real-world demands, creating a smoother transition from school to work.
  4. Economic Benefits: It reduces skill mismatches, which benefits both students and employers, contributing to a stronger economy.

Risks and Concerns:

  1. Exploitation Potential: If businesses treat students as a cheap labor source rather than providing genuine educational experiences, it becomes exploitative. This is especially problematic if students perform tasks unrelated to their field of study or without adequate supervision.
  2. Workplace Safety: Students are often minors and may lack the training or maturity to navigate workplace hazards safely, increasing the risk of accidents.
  3. Balance of Responsibilities: The dual system should ensure that students' primary focus remains on education, not excessive workplace obligations.
  4. Fair Compensation: While the system involves learning through practice, students should receive fair compensation or benefits for their contributions to the business.

Recommendations for Ethical Implementation:

  1. Strict Regulations: Governments should enforce laws to prevent businesses from exploiting students and ensure that their work aligns with educational goals.
  2. Monitoring and Accountability: Schools and regulatory bodies should frequently assess the quality of training provided by businesses to ensure compliance.
  3. Workload Management: Practical work hours should be limited to ensure students have enough time and energy for academic learning and personal development.
  4. Incorporate Feedback: Students should have a platform to report issues or concerns related to their practical training.

When well-regulated, such programs can be highly beneficial for students, businesses, and society. However, unchecked practices risk undermining the system's educational purpose and exploiting young individuals.

The high rate of inactivity among the working-age population in Croatia, specifically those aged 20 to 64, reflects a significant socio-economic challenge. Inactivity refers to individuals who are neither employed nor actively seeking work and, therefore, are not included in labor force statistics. This group represents a considerable portion of the population, often referred to as being "erased from the system" and outside the labor market.

Possible Reasons for Inactivity:

  1. Education and Training: Younger individuals may still be pursuing their education or undergoing vocational training.
  2. Care Responsibilities: Many, especially women, might be engaged in unpaid caregiving for children, elderly family members, or others.
  3. Health Issues: Chronic illnesses or disabilities can limit participation in the labor market.
  4. Discouragement: Long-term unemployment often leads to discouragement, resulting in people stopping their job search altogether.
  5. Migration: Emigration, particularly among younger Croatians, contributes to the perception of inactivity as these individuals leave the domestic labor force.
  6. Informal Economy: Some may work informally, thus not appearing in official labor market data.
  7. Early Retirement: Croatia’s policies enabling early retirement further increase inactivity among older adults in this age group.

Impacts of Inactivity:

  1. Economic Growth: A smaller active workforce limits productivity and economic expansion.
  2. Social Exclusion: Inactivity often correlates with poverty, social exclusion, and reduced access to essential services.
  3. Demographic Pressure: An aging population combined with a high rate of inactivity in the working-age group intensifies the strain on the economy.
  4. Fiscal Challenges: Inactive individuals rely more on social assistance while contributing less to tax revenues, creating pressure on public finances.

Addressing Inactivity:

  1. Labor Market Policies: Implementing retraining and upskilling programs that align with labor market needs.
  2. Support for Caregivers: Enhancing access to affordable childcare and eldercare services to encourage workforce participation.
  3. Encouraging Formal Work: Incentivizing transitions from the informal to the formal economy through tax breaks and legal reforms.
  4. Flexible Work Options: Promoting part-time and remote work to accommodate caregivers and those with health issues.
  5. Reintegration Efforts: Targeted initiatives to re-engage discouraged workers, such as counseling and financial incentives.

By implementing inclusive policies and initiatives, Croatia can tap into the potential of this inactive population, contributing to economic growth and reducing the socio-economic divide.

Addressing the problem of inactivity among the working-age population in Croatia—or globally—is a multifaceted challenge that involves systemic change across multiple sectors. Tackling the influence of industries like Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, and Big Oil, along with transitioning away from fossil fuels, can indirectly contribute to solving this issue by creating healthier societies, sustainable economies, and more inclusive labor markets. Here’s how:


1. Big Pharma and Public Health

  • Current Issues:

    • High healthcare costs and a focus on profit over public health can limit access to essential services, leaving many individuals unable to work due to untreated health issues.
    • Overprescription of medications, particularly opioids, contributes to health problems that reduce workforce participation.
  • Solutions:

    • Strengthen public healthcare systems to ensure affordable, accessible care for all, reducing health-related inactivity.
    • Promote preventive healthcare and mental health initiatives, enabling individuals to remain active in the labor force.

2. Big Tobacco and Healthier Populations

  • Current Issues:

    • Smoking-related illnesses contribute to early morbidity and reduced labor force participation.
    • Marketing by Big Tobacco often targets vulnerable populations, perpetuating health inequities.
  • Solutions:

    • Implement stricter regulations on tobacco products and redirect taxes from these products to fund public health campaigns.
    • Support smoking cessation programs to improve health outcomes and workforce engagement.

3. Big Oil and the Transition to Renewable Energy

  • Current Issues:

    • Reliance on fossil fuels contributes to climate change, which disrupts economies, exacerbates health issues, and affects jobs (e.g., in agriculture).
    • Fossil fuel industries often prioritize automation or outsourcing, reducing local job opportunities.
  • Solutions:

    • Invest in renewable energy sectors, which tend to create more jobs per dollar spent compared to fossil fuels.
    • Develop green jobs programs to reskill workers from fossil fuel-dependent industries, integrating them into the labor market.

4. Breaking Up with Fossil Fuels

  • Current Issues:

    • Fossil fuel dependency sustains environmentally damaging practices that undermine public health and economic stability.
    • Extreme weather events linked to climate change disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable workers.
  • Solutions:

    • Foster a just transition to renewable energy, ensuring affected workers receive retraining and support.
    • Support green infrastructure projects, which can create employment opportunities while addressing climate goals.

How These Changes Solve Inactivity:

  1. Healthier Workforce: Public health improvements and reduced exposure to harmful substances enable more people to remain active in the workforce.
  2. Job Creation: Transitioning to sustainable energy and breaking up monopolistic industries open new avenues for employment.
  3. Economic Diversification: Reducing reliance on extractive or harmful industries helps create a resilient economy with diverse job opportunities.
  4. Social Equity: Investments in healthcare, education, and green jobs address systemic inequalities, empowering marginalized groups to participate in the labor market.
  5. Long-Term Sustainability: A shift to renewable energy and sustainable practices ensures a stable environment for future workforce growth.

These systemic changes require political will, public advocacy, and international cooperation but hold the potential to address the root causes of inactivity while building healthier, fairer, and more sustainable societies.

Acknowledgment: This blog post was developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model created by OpenAI. The insights provided were based on data and discussions facilitated by this tool.

11 January, 2025

Running, Along With Walking and Swimming, is the Best Form of Recreation

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/


I'm getting ready for Luka.run. I experience it as a great prelude to an exciting day, and the victory of good over evil.

The Weather is Back to Normal

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/


Wintertime
embed data

After the soft crackling of firecrackers throughout December, culminating in the New Year's Eve, with a fireworks and noisy artillery — the weather now is getting back to normal. We had a shocking temperature attack just after sounds of gunfire fade out. Politicians, please do something — people don't want rain in this region, instead of snow. Having rain at this time of the year is unusual.

27 November, 2024

Seal Our Fate as a Highly Developed Country

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/

Croatian GDP grew by 3.9 percent, it's growing for the 15ᵗʰ consecutive quarter. I believe that we need to speed up the reforms to seal our fate as a highly developed country. How could developing countries with billions of inhabitants, like India and China, grow by approx. 7 percentage points of the gross domestic product? We must find our own path, special and different, to turn to a future where green revolution shines.

As I have said many times, we do not need greenwashing with fake data as if hydroelectric power plants are ecological or -

instead of greenfield investments and the destruction of our valuable soil fundamentally brownfield investments should be allowed
Greenpeace

There are two more key steps that we must not miss:

  • Charity Donations
  • Calculating GDP based on evolutionary efforts to create a sustainable economy

23 November, 2024

Hobby - Programing & Design, Photography

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/

I'm reviewing the project page for the Image Gallery Content Management System (CMS) hosted on SourceForge. This project is an open-source CMS designed to manage and display image galleries. It provides features like uploading images, managing galleries, and administration tools, and is built around SQL for database operations.

 

19 November, 2024

Happy World Toilet Day 2024!

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/
  1. Toilets are a place for peace.
  2. Toilets are a place for protection.
  3. Toilets are a place for progress.

The theme image aims to celebrate and highlight peace, protection, and progress associated with toilets.

17 November, 2024

Making a New Year's Day Commitment

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/

I pledge to visit great six nearby bridges in Zagreb city in my walking tour. New Year's Day -- here I come -- in a zigzag fashion! Forget about difficult problems, and please remember everyone deceased. I think psychocracy in pharmalike-shithole should go away, because so many of my colleagues and acquaintances are dead.

 

 




10 October, 2024

My Special Message on This Festival Day

ᴵⁿ ᵗᶦᵐᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᶜˡᶦᵐᵃᵗᵉ ᵉᵐᵉʳᵍᵉⁿᶜʸ https://climateclock.world/

Please stop Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Big Tobacco covering all-over superpowers. Clientelism is bad. Stop the death row penalty and let the Charter of Human Rights by the UN be loved. 

02 October, 2024

I Made Those Memes To Build Myself As A Real-Life Celebrity ㄒ尺卂几丂匚乇几ᗪ乇几ㄒ卂ㄥ

I’m gonna be the next super good, I have a brilliant plan to take over the blogosphere. I made  these memes and video  for you to enjoy it - took me weeks to see the complete scenario.


Setting My Way Up


Getting Thrilled



I’ll Advocate Rich and Powerful to Save the Poor



No Retreat, No Surrender





surreal

27 July, 2024

Protests - a Road Map to Success

It's difficult to expect for people to rise up against climate criminals. Most of them are drunk or drugged every day, having severe problems with "big pharma". How to keep protests peaceful is the key question and the road map to success. Further on, people need experience with protesting, I guess. Some type of long-lasting democracy is a place where positive change should happen. Accepting human rights and all that they represent—is the only way to get through these times of climate disaster. Please, get your act together, because only then can you be a valuable member of the protests.

10 June, 2024

Make the Giant Leap With Smartphones OSes

There are so many programming languages and so few smartphones OSes. People need scalability as well as cross-platform compatibility, like with websites. Also, it's good to have quality choice with affordable price. Please, come together and make the giant leap, especially in the emerging market. Don't let insufficient competition ruin your field of interest; act today and continue tomorrow...

01 June, 2024

No time to wait. #ActOnClimate

Fossil fuel companies will not lead us out of this crisis.
Mike Hudema

People need to get out of business as usual routine. Preferably, with brand new business models—not green washing. I mean, fossil fuel companies could transform into carbon-zero, but it would take them a couple of hundred years... We need to act now & globally. Please make a peaceful and environmentally friendly contribution for this worthy cause. Stop drilling the ocean, stop drilling agreement is important. Stop plastic pollution coz plastic is both: underrated and consumed too much. But, first and foremost, construction of any kind needed to be revised, just like religious associations that keep them busy. 

Leadership needs fresh, new faces - prepared for extensive debates. 

Not drugged people on ego trips; please stop with your alcohol problems as well.

Not to mention your contribution to Big Tobacco + consequently Big Pharma mob phonies = with inhaling 70 types of poison every day.

#ActOnClimate

30 May, 2024

Celebration of Croatia's Statehood Day

Croatian people wated to live in freedom, democracy, multi-party system, rule of law, protection of human rights, all those freedoms that we associate with free societies
said Gordan Jandroković, President of the Croatian Parliament
People need fresh happenings to achieve happiness—so desired, wanted, and needed by Croatians. Statehood Day is an important holiday to spend time with friends and family.

25 February, 2024

Enhancing Your Experience While Visiting Nature

 

there aren't enough public toilets





My view of new toilets (high-end)

...In that name, I propose the construction of a new age toilet on all important world squares. New age toilets are mimicked - meaning a mirror on the outside and glass on the inside.

Free Digital Age Manifesto (reblog 2011)

01 February, 2024

ᵀᴼ ᴮᴸᴼᴼᴹ ᴵᴺ ᴬ ᴹᴼᴹᴱᴺᵀ Proud of My Amaryllis

I'm very proud of my Amaryllis. The flower has a bud. So so happy especially after all these years - it might actually blossom. He gapes most of the time, but I didn't want to throw it away because it has a very long life expectancy - over 70 years (like they say here). This is the first time Amaryllis has a bud since I bought it in the store.




27 January, 2024

My Review of Veganuary

I'm trying to experience this year's Veganuary in more detail. I'll do my best to implement lovely meals in my food plan for the rest of the year. As it is for now, I still enjoy some sort of 'back to basic' cooking - less than five ingredients for any meal. I call it 'cooking originals' because it's my favorite way to feel the taste of vegetables. Also, I don't have to bother myself much with maintaining the pantry - I prefer it compact.

Thank you Veganuary 

26 January, 2024

Organizing Cool Event in Open Air From My Perspective

On this Friday's 1st-ever World Clean Energy Day I present a unique viewpoint in organizing a gathering in nature that would be following ecology. Ecovillage Gathering is a good example, I suppose. There are many parks in the cities and I was thinking maybe we should revitalize them differently. Instead of having Refreshment Kiosks with extreme amortization, people need delivery options in sight. The general accuracy of the location software is within 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) under normal conditions. For delivery to be operational in a tight techno party or pop concert we desire location to be more precise. We need both - to preserve the environment and bring vividness to the globe. Tolerant, attested local delivery is the best, we could all agree on that.

25 January, 2024

ᴾᴿᴼᴺᵀᴼ Stop Selling Animals

If only I had known my winter coat was made of non-vegan material before I've decided to buy it. We need to help end cruelty to goats and sheep by urging to ban cashmere and choose only vegan materials. 

I understand that leather products are not for sale; I respect that. But this time, the last time, I decided to use animal by-products (ABPs) - similar to those I'm using as a lacto-ovo vegetarian.

24 January, 2024

Celebrating International Day of Education From My Perception - How to Be a Good Stand-up Comedian

  • in this climate, the attitude of cold British humor is a must, something like the one from Kim of N. K. Always remember when you think of stand-up comedy - Elton John - he is still standing. Hehe. But unfortunately - many have fallen, as I see Michael Jackson, George Michael, Prince... It's a hard line-up, and that's why I'll always stand up for those show business stand-up comedians, for those messy clowns, to sort themselves heavy privileged pension benefits hehe
  • it's good while it's 𝖭𝖮𝖳 shock art - you can talk as long as you like, consistently - but that's about does it...
  • the dominant thing is the warmth of the spirit, that you have passed through the sieve and the wringer, that you have been cooked and baked, so to speak, then it doesn't matter whether you'll go home with one cent, some pennies, or nothing at all - cuz you like pro bono charity
  • external appearance is also cardinal, of course, that you are neat from head to toe; that your shoes are clean. If you hadn't found some bearded or rat-growing mites or mumps. Well, let's say the way were somehow public service dudes hehe before all these tremendous strides, technological achievements, and social mobilities
  • you must have a balloon, a piggy bank, or a big hat to collect that money, but it's good to accept cards as well as cryptocurrencies



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