Life chances and opportunities in Ukraine: a subjective evaluation of objective reality (three different profiles in opportunities)

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V.N. Karazin Kharkov National University

Life chances and opportunities in Ukraine: a subjective evaluation of objective reality (three different profiles in opportunities)

Olena Muradyan - PhD, Associate Professor in the

Political Sociology Department, Dean of School of Sociology

Kharkiv

Annotation

This article continues to examine the state of uncertainty and the large number of social groups with limited vital resource and low status, as the characteristics of the Ukrainian society. The analysis of the second paper is directed to the life strategies, depending on the factors of regional socio-cultural environment; taking into account the data on living standards and social protection of the citizens of Ukraine until 2014, indicators of health, gender inequality, age inequality, chances for happy motherhood. It is showed, that appeals to using active life strategies and providing chances in economic sphere are made more difficult by the existing problems in normative regulating entrepreneurship.

Key words: life chances, life opportunities, vital resources.

Анотація

Мурадян Олена. Життєві шанси й можливості в Україні: суб'єктивна оцінка об'єктивної реальності (три різні профілі можливостей). У статті продовжено аналіз стану невизначеності та наявність великої кількості соціальних груп з обмеженим життєвим ресурсом і невисоким статусом; у другій роботі акцентовано увагу на розгляді співвіднесення життєвих шансів зі структурою соціальних можливостей, що відбувається в процесі оцінки індивідом своєї вихідної позиції - процесі, необхідному йому для побудови життєвих стратегій. Ураховано дані про рівень життя й соціальної захищеності жителів України до 2014 р., показники здоров'я, рівня освіти та культурного розвитку населення, гендерної, вікової нерівності, можливостей легкого включення у сферу бізнесу. Звернуто увагу на те, що використання активних життєвих стратегій і забезпечення можливостей в економічній сфері утруднюються наявними проблемами в нормативно-регуляційній системі підприємництва.

Ключові слова: життєві шанси, життєві можливості, життєві ресурси.

Аннотация

Мурадян Елена. Жизненные шансы и возможности в Украине: субъективная оценка объективной реальности (три различные профиля возможностей). В данной статье продолжается анализ состояния неопределенности и наличие большого количества социальных групп с ограниченным жизненным ресурсом и невысоким статусом, как характеристики украинского общества. Анализ данной работы направлен на рассмотрение жизненных стратегий в зависимости от факторов региональной социокультурной среды; это позволяет предполагать варианты перспективного развития социума в целом и определенного специфического региона в частности. При этом рассматривается соотнесение жизненных шансов со структурой социальных возможностей, что происходит в процессе оценки индивидом своей исходной позиции - процессе, необходимом ему для планирования и построения жизненных стратегий. Учитываются данные об уровне жизни и социальной защищенности жителей Украины до 2014 г., показатели здоровья, уровня образования и культурного развития населения, гендерного неравенства, возрастного неравенства, возможностей легкого включения в сферу бизнеса, участия людей в принятии решений. Обращается внимание на то, что использование активных жизненных стратегий и обеспечение возможностей в экономической сфере затрудняется существующими проблемами в нормативно-регулирующей системе предпринимательства.

Ключевые слова: жизненные шансы, жизненные возможности, жизненные ресурсы.

The main text

In my previous article I mentioned that studying life strategies of social actors is important in the situation of ongoing social changes. It demonstrates the reproduction and alteration of institutional, value and normative structures of a society [2]. Life strategy is a dynamic formation and its dynamics is a result of an individual's reaction to changes, first of all, the changes in social and cultural surrounding and the events in the sphere of subculture micro-group. These issues sets out the relevance of this research work. I will continue research described topic. Global gender gap, chances for happy motherhood and worthy life in old age as a three difference profiles in opportunities will be main focuses in this article.

The aim of this article and this analysis will be directed at viewing life strategies in the framework of existing life chances and opportunities and also everyday practices in different life spheres depending on different factors of regional social and cultural surrounding. This part of the research is connected with global gender gap, chances for happy motherhood and worthy life in old age, easiness of running business and corruption practice, strategies of behavior in the sphere of health and labor behavior. This will allow us to view the variants of perspective development of a society on the whole and of a definite region in particular.

For this I would like to use data from World Economic Forum, data of the research «Global Index of Old Age», data from «Going Business 2014» to start explain the main study results.

Global Gender Gap, Chances for Happy Motherhood and Worthy Life in old Age: three Difference Profiles in Opportunities. Taking into account the fact that the described in my previous article situation is worsened by the existing gender inequality we have the full right to turn to the gender aspect in a more detailed way. The proof for this fact is, for example, in the fact that in Ukraine men's labor is appreciated more highly than women's labor, which is understood from the following salary: men get 2,54 hrn for every working hour, and women in their turn get 1,92 hrn. Women's salaries on the whole make 73 % of men's salaries. Though women work 4-6 hours more than men household work is not considered to be productive, that is why is not paid and taken into account in pension schemes. Nowadays 64% of Ukrainian pensioners are women but their average pension is 500 hrn lower than that of men [3].

We can cover the situation in a more detailed way if we view the rating of equal rights of men and women worked out by the representatives of the World economic forum World Economic Forum [Elektronik resourse]. - Mode of access: http://www.weforum.org and the group of professors from Harvard and California universities in 2006. The following index is aimed at measuring gender differences in the approach to resources and opportunities in separate countries according to 4 criteria:

- economic participation and opportunities;

- political rights and opportunities;

- health and survival;

- approach to education.

According to the data of 2003 Ukraine took the 64th place out of 136 countries as for the level of gender discrimination being between Kirghizia and Thailand holding the same place as in 2011 and 2012. According to the marker of women's presence at the labor market Ukraine holds the 30th place, according to the education available for women - the 27th place, medical care - 75th place, women's participation in politics - 119th place.

Chances for Happy Motherhood. The experts of international humanitarian organization «Savethechildren» annually compile the rating of countries according to the extent to which motherhood can be happy there. The experts base on such parameters as the risk of mother's death taking into account many factors including the amount of children, intervals between giving birth to children, providing qualified help during the confinement and women's health on the whole. The research analyzes the level of personnel's qualification and even the participation of women in political rule of the country (the marker of women's amount in the legislative power structures). The high place in the rating means that a woman has good education, chances for high income and low risk of dying during the confinement and high chances of a child's survival The list of markers which the Motherhood index are the following: markers characterizing maternal health (the risk of maternal death, amount of women using modern methods of contraception, qualified doctors during the confinement, life expectancy of women), markers characterizing the educational level of women (the expected amount of years of studying), markers characterizing the economic status of women (comparison of salaries of men and women, vacation pay and confinement pay), markers characterizing the political status of women (participation of women in political life), markers characterizing the position of children (the death rate of people under 5 years old, the percentage of children younger than 5 years old who have the mass deficit, the amount of people who are getting preschool education, the amount of people getting primary education, the index of comparing boys and girls in the primary school, the amount of children attending secondary school, the percentage of people having approach to clear water). Motherhood index is counted as an average point from the index of children's position (30 %), index of maternal health (20 %), index of women's educational status (20 %), index of women's economic status (20 %) and index of women's political status (10 %)..

The rating includes 176 positions and the experts give the 74th place to Ukraine in 2013. Since 2006 the situation has not changed for the better for Ukraine.

Table 1

Motherhood Index (Ukraine, 2004-2012)

* from the group of 41 most developed countries ** from the group of 43 most developed countries

*** the data of the organization SaveTheChildren, compiled according to: http://www.savethechildren.org

Chances and Opportunities for Worthy Life in old Age. Together with this it is important to view the chances and opportunities for worthy life in old age. With this aim we will turn to the data of the research «Global Index of Old Age» of 2013 (GlobalAgeWatchIndex), which estimates the welfare of the representatives of older generations in 91 countries of the world. The research was conducted by the international organization HelpAgeInternational. The places in the rating were given according to the following parameters as material wealth, health condition, employment and education and social surrounding. The index covers 89 % of older people in the world - this makes 900 million people in 91 countries.

We can begin with the fact that during the research it was concluded that prosperity or positive showing as for the GDP nor always influence the quality of life of older age groups. For example, such rather poor countries as Mauritius, Sri-Lanka or Bolivia due to the progressive social policy take higher places in the rating than it could be expected from their economies: the 33rd, 36th and 46th places accordingly.

The life of older people in Ukraine according to the data of 2013 isn't brilliant: Ukraine takes the 66th place. If to view the former USSR republics the most favorable place is taken by Estonia (the 29th place), Georgia takes the 37th place, Latvia takes the 45th place, Lithuania - the 50th place, Armenia - the 51st place, Tajikistan - the 52nd place, Moldova - the 76th place, Russia - the 78th Data according to http://www.helpage.org/global-agewatch/.

In Ukraine the incomes (expenses) of people over 60 make 83,4 % of average incomes (expenses) in the country, the life expectancy after 60 years old is 18 years, 38,5 % of people over 50 can rely on the help from close surrounding in difficult life situations. But only 36 % are satisfied with the availability of public transport, 44 % of people over 50 are satisfied with the existing freedom of choice and 42 % feel safe while walking in the dark time of the day in their district.

Table 2

Rating and Basic Markers of old People's Wealth

1. place among 91 countries;

2. meaning of index.

The data of Global Index of old age show that the countries of Eastern Europe need additional reforms taking into account current and future problems and restricted opportunities connected with the population's getting older which is especially topical for Ukrainian society.

Easiness of Running Business and Corruption Practice: Objective vs Subjective. Active life strategies connected with success which are now often discussed as a necessary attribute of removal from paternalist survival strategies mainly refer to producing chances bit not only consuming them. One of the types of such activities can be presented by entrepreneurship. In this aspect it will be interesting to view not only liability to such activity but also the analysis of outer surrounding and microclimate in the studied countries.

For estimating conditions and opportunities of running business and entrepreneurship in studied countries we will turn to the research «Doing business 2014» conducted by the World bank. The place of the country in the rating Doing Business is determined by the amount of showings in different categories among which there are the easiness of starting business, registration of real estate, getting licenses, etc. They also estimate the tax system and the possibility of getting a loan [World Bank, 2013].

In 2013 Ukraine took the 112th place (among 189 countries) going up 28 positions since the 2012 rating. According to the expert estimations, Ukraine made the procedure of getting a loan easier, the amount of bureaucratic formalities in starting business decreased and the conditions of running international trade business improved.

Table 3

Estimation of Business Regulation in Ukraine (According to key Aspects of Normative and Law Regulating Entrepreneurship for National Companies)

*According to the results of «Going Business 2014»5

To compare with, Poland takes the 45th place, Russia - the 92nd place. The leader of rating among the former USSR countries is Georgia with its 8th place. It is followed by Lithuania (the 17th place), Latvia (the 24th place), Armenia (the 37th place), Kazakhstan (the 50th place), Belarus (the 63rd place), Kyrgyzstan (the 5-th place), Azerbaijan (the 70th place) and Moldova (the 78th place). The situation is worse in Tajikistan (the 143rd place) and Uzbekistan (the 146th place).

One of the disadvantages of such rating is overlooking the level of corruption and spreading corruption practices.

For studying this component we will turn to the data of the research «Global Corruption Barometer» conducted by Transparency International and Gallup International Association World Bank. 2013. Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium - Size Enterprises. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-9615-5. - License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 // [Elektronik resourse]. - Mode of access: http://russian.doingbusiness.org Ibid. The field survey was conducted since summer 2012 to winter 2013, More than 114000 people in 107 countries were questioned. Sample error is 3 %.. To begin with, we will have a look at the situation in Ukraine in 2013: judicial and law-enforcement systems are considered to be the most corrupted Ibid. The same results were received in the framework of conducting national monitoring by the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Ukraine and Kiev International Institute of Sociology which is mentioned in Part 2, point 2.5.1.. The considerable amount of respondents admitted having given a bribe for the services of the law-enforcement bodies, medical institutions, educational establishments, land institutions, registration services, courts and taxation institutions. One third of the respondents - 35 % said about the extortion of the bribe but half of them (53 %) refused to pay. 74 % do not speak of cases of corruption, 24 % are afraid of the consequences, 63 % think that it will not change anything (40 % fully disagree and 23 % disagree that common people can change the situation in the struggle against corruption).

The given reasons for giving bribes look important:

- Inability to get the service in another way (33 %);

- As a sign of gratitude (33 %);

- For speeding up the process (28 %);

- For reducing the price of the service (6 %).

According to the data of the research the amount of those who use the bribery practice in Ukraine is growing for several reasons (in 2010 there were 34 %, in 2009 - 21 %). This takes place despite the announced by the current authorities struggle against corruption. One possible reason for increasing these numbers though is greater transparency in admitting this practice. The amount of those who is willing to protest against corruption also increases: two thirds of Ukrainians are on the whole ready for certain forms of protest (to join the anti-corruption organization; to pay more in order to buy from companies free from corruption; to attract the attention of mass media; to sign a petition) and one third of respondents are ready to take part in street protest actions. In this aspect the question as for one third of Ukrainians who are not ready for protests arises. One of the reasons can be the phenomenon of double institutionalization which in Ukraine became a legitimate mechanism of substandard regulation.

Strategies of Behavior in the Sphere of Health and Labor Behavior: General Review. Covering the topic of emotional and psychological health of respondents and viewing the Human development index we mentioned that health problems present a serious problem in many regions. It is important to view the strategies of behavior of Ukrainians in this aspect.

The data of the international project «Conditions of life, life style and health» along with the data of the state medical statistics allow us to get more detailed information about the health condition of the country's population. Ukrainian researchers viewed the attitude of Ukrainians towards their health, the level of their understanding the importance of social, economic, environment, genetic, medical and other factors for health, outlined their high interest towards their health and control over it. The factors determining the low level of health, high amount and spread of illnesses are the following: life difficulties, environmental pollution, quality and quantity starving, low social security, life style demanding significant correction. The majority of Ukrainian citizens knows about the problems of their health and have positive attitude towards its improving but they are not fully consistent in taking the necessary measures [1].

Getting acquainted with such results received according to the 2011 research we became interested in the behavioral strategies in the sphere of people's health. The data received by the project HITT-CIS showed that the existing practice of paying for medical services by the patients themselves significantly decreases the availability of medical services for the majority of population. As a result, many people including those living in poverty or suffering from chronic diseases decide to put off their turning for medical help and often even have no financial opportunity to pay for preventive measures. This becomes extremely topical taking into account the corruption practices in the sphere of health security which was discussed in the corresponding chapter. This finds its reflection in small amount of people turning for medical consultations. Here we can also speak about the covering of all turning (even not always services) strictly recorded by charity contributions. The corresponding funds are, as a rule, guided by the heads of medical sphere institutions. This is new type of legal corruption (not only in medicine).

Great amount of cash payments which often contribute to making the population poor questions some constitutional principles dealing with equality and overall access to medical services.

The analysis of behavior in Ukraine in case of possible illness proves the conclusion concerning the fact that strategies of self-treating and treating with home-made medicine are widespread. So, many people do not have right attitude towards their health formed and do not understand the necessity of turning to the doctor even in cases of serious illnesses (see table 4).

Returning to the theoretical scheme of the process of building life strategies with the account of the conducted analysis it is not difficult to mark that despite different existing typologies of life strategies the objective conditions reflected in the current institutional opportunities (rather restricted), topical social norms and also needs dictate the dominating of the survival strategy (other authors emphasize the strategy of well-being).

Table 4

«Which Treatment Would you Take if you had the Following Health Problems?» (HITT-CIS, 2010, %)

*HITT-CIS, 2010

In the end I would like to remind a conclusion, that I made in the first part of the article: Ukraine do not enter either the Western or the Eastern cultural areal fully - it is frontier country which are characterized by intermediate or transitive cultural integrity where two types of public reproduction interact. These two types are represented to the minimal extent by intensive type with the prevailing role of innovative and personal basis and the extensive type where communal values dominate and paternalist tendencies can be found [2].

Taking into account the data of the life level and social security of citizens of different countries, the level of health, education level and the showing of cultural development, the crime rate, the environmental security, participation of people in taking decisions - Ukraine enter the list of countries with the high level of human development but at the same time institutional conditions do not provide chances and opportunities for realization of the possessed potential. This is reflected in migration, high level of dissatisfaction with the employment in professional sphere (about one third of population), high level of emotional problems and feeling of losing control over one's life. Out of diversity of survival technologies Ukrainians prefer adaptation - getting adjusted to the changes sacrificing the habitual way of life. This is so called negative adaptation. Only every tenth person in the studied region realizes the provided chances and finds opportunities to improve one's life.

We studied the country where the great amount of territory is occupied by the rural area where the level of poverty is higher than in cities which proves that natural agriculture contributes to preserving high level of poverty of people employed in it which is explained by both restricted approach to main public and social services and to the services in health care. Inequality in the aspects of employment and education availability is widespread which does not allow the population to avoid poverty.

Appeals to using active life strategies and providing chances in economic sphere are made more difficult by the existing problems in normative regulating entrepreneurship.

It is difficult to cure the patient when the diagnosis is not exact... The frontier character and the transformation period are accompanied by the ambivalent consciousness and passive wait-and-see strategies. But situation nowadays in Ukraine will form new life strategies and give new life changes and opportunities in near future.

In my next article I will continue research this topic. Life chances and opportunities in Ukrainian society in the situation of ongoing war conflict will be main focuses in the next article.

References

1. Bakirov, V. S., Nikolayevskiy, V. M., Yabluchanskiy, N. I. (2003), “Significance of a comparative analysis of the results of sociological research and medical statistics to improve the assessment of quality of the public health”, Abstracts of a reports at the conference “Management and primary health care”, Uzhgorod: Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, http://www.llh.at/publications/06_ua_07.pdf

2. Muradyan, O. (2015), Life Chances and Opportunities in Ukraine: a Subjective Evaluation of Objective Reality, Sociological studios, No. 1, Vol. 6, Pp. 68-78.

3. Shupik, I. I. (2012), “The gender dimension of the economic security of Ukraine”, http://www.nbuv.gov.ua/ old_jrn/Natural/Vkhdtusg/2012_125/48.pdf

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