Publications

Do preferences for income inequality differ systematically between the post-socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Western established market economies? This paper analyses 1999 data from a large international survey to address this question. In particular, we examine whether attitudes to inequality differ between East and West even after the 'conventional' determinants of attitudes are controlled for. Results suggest that this is indeed the case. A decade after the breakdown of communism, people in transition countries are indeed significantly more 'egalitarian' than those living in the West, in the sense that they are less willing to tolerate existing income inequalities, even after the actual level of income inequality and other determinants of attitudes are taken into account.

The project, through a series of reports on child and family well-being, has had a remarkable impact on policy makers, academics, politicians and members of the public. One of the keys to its success has been the comprehensive set of demographic and social indicators and related policy and institutional information collected via a wide network of experts. By drawing a comparison with similar analytical efforts, this paper highlights the distinctive features of the project, including a holistic and regional perspective based on a systematic mix of statistical and analytical investigations. This approach offers some comparative advantages relative to UNICEF's global surveys and national situation analyses in terms of its capacity to grasp key patterns of change and the role of institutional factors.

Evidence is considered on differences in access to education and in learning achievement within the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The situation inherited from the communist period is first summarized: there were some significant disparities with, for example, family background having a strong association with tertiary enrolments, as in Western countries. Analysis of the transition period focuses on the differences in access and achievement associated with household income and geographic location. Disparities are not the same across the region; in some countries, such as Russia, there are clear grounds for serious concern, but it is unlikely that any country has cause for complacency.

This paper discusses the possible pathways between macroeconomic change and child welfare and develops a typology of the risks that children may face at different stages of the lifecycle. Adopting a multi-dimensional view of child well-being, trends in both economic measures of poverty, based on incomes and expenditures, and in selected capability-based indicators are then examined. The indicators selected reflect the health and survival, education and personal development of children and their social inclusion/exclusion. Not all the news is bad but the data show that the human cost of economic transition has been high and children, far from being protected from its impact, have been amongst those who have suffered the most.

'I giovani nelle società in trasformazione' analizza le esperienze della 'generazione della transizione', i 68 milioni di giovani tra i 15 e i 24 anni di età dell'Europa centrale e orientale e della CSI. Essendo la prima generazione a terminare gli studi, cercare lavoro e fondare una famiglia in un clima sociale ed economico nuovo, essi mettono alla prova le riforme dello scorso decennio. Di questa generazione il Rapporto esamina le condizioni di salute, l'ingresso nel mercato del lavoro, i possibili conflitti con la legge ed il ruolo di giovani cittadini, e mostra come il progresso della condizione dei giovani e l'avanzamento della transizione siano processi che si rafforzano a vicenda. I giovani colgono le nuove opportunità con iniziativa, creativa e flessibilità. Ma le nuove libertà portano anche nuovi rischi, inclusi problemi sconosciuti alle generazioni precedenti: disoccupazione, droga, aumento delle disparità e dell'esclusione.

This seventh Regional Monitoring Report focuses on the experiences of young people during the transition. It examines the advantages and the obstacles youth encounter as they grow up in rapidly transforming societies. The Report covers a broad range of issues, including the participation of adolescents in education and of young men and women in the political lives of their nations. It examines the special problems of young people in the area of health and in the labour market. It notes trends among youth in conflict with the law. The Report calls for the full implementation of existing human rights agreements. It emphasizes the importance and the benefits of listening to youth and seeking their help in the search for solutions to the problems of young people. This is highlighted by “Voices of Youth”, quotations from young people in the transition region as they speak about their difficulties and their dreams.

The Report focuses on the experiences of young people during the transition. It examines the advantages and the obstacles youth encounter as they grow up in rapidly transforming societies. The Report covers a broad range of issues, including the participation of adolescents in education and of young men and women in the political lives of their nations. It examines the special problems of young people in the areas of health and in the labour market. The Report calls for the full implementation of existing human rights ageements. It emphasizes the importance and the benefits of listening to youth and seeking their help in the search for solutions to the problems of young people.

The 1999 Central and Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States Regional Monitoring Report focuses on the experiences of girls and women during the transition, highlighting their role in regional progress and the obstacles they face. The Report covers a broad range of issues, including women’s participation in the emerging market economy and democratic governments, female access to health and education, trends in family formation and violence against women and girls. The Report calls for the full implementation of existing human rights agreements and emphasizes the importance and benefits of integrating gender equality into the foundations of these new societies. The MONEE project is a unique source of information on the social side of the transition taking place in the CEE CIS Region. Each year's Report contains an update on the social and economic trends affecting children and families in the region, in-depth analysis of a particular theme and a detailed Statistical Annex.

The 1999 Central and Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States Regional Monitoring Report focuses on the experiences of girls and women during the transition, highlighting their role in regional progress and the obstacles they face. The Report covers a broad range of issues, including women’s participation in the emerging market economy and democratic governments, female access to health and education, trends in family formation and violence against women and girls. The Report calls for the full implementation of existing human rights agreements and emphasizes the importance and benefits of integrating gender equality into the foundations of these new societies. The MONEE project is a unique source of information on the social side of the transition taking place in the CEE CIS Region. Each year's Report contains an update on the social and economic trends affecting children and families in the region, in-depth analysis of a particular theme and a detailed Statistical Annex.

The differences in income distribution between market and planned economies are considered in two ways. First, using benchmarks from the OECD area, evidence from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union during the socialist period is reviewed. Second, the authors consider the transitions currently being made by the latter countries. Three factors are then considered: (i) the distribution of earnings of full-time employees, (ii) the distribution of individuals’ per capita household incomes, and (iii) the ways in which non-wage benefits from work, price subsidies and social incomes in kind change the picture. For the socialist period long series of data, often covering several decades, are available and thus changes in distribution under the socialist system can be tracked and diversity between the countries shown. For the period of transition, the series of data are inevitably shorter, however, it is possible to avoid basing conclusions on evidence drawn from single years. During transition, as under socialism, the picture is varied. Russia has experienced very sharp increases in measured inequality to well above the top of the OECD range. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have seen more modest rises. However, a satisfactory analytic framework encompassing enough features of the transition to help interpretation of the data is lacking.

Le Centre de recherche Innocenti de l'UNICEF a dressé un tableau de la situation des femmes et des enfants dans la région depuis la chute du communisme. Le projet MONEE du centre, lancé en 1992, analyse les conditions sociales et les politiques publiques concernant les enfants et leurs familles à travers cette région très variée. Son rapport annuel de surveillance régionale, consacré à l'étude de questions-clés comme la pauvreté, la santé, l'éducation, les enfants à risque et la progression des femmes, est considéré comme la source la plus autorisée en ce qui concerne le côté humain de la transition.

Il Rapporto evidenzia il fallimento del comunismo nella promozione di una reale cultura dell’uguaglianza, risulta anche evidente che il sistema ha prodotto alcune positive eredità per le donne. Un forte investimento nei servizi sociali di base ha significato un alto grado di istruzione tra le donne e buoni livelli di assistenza sanitaria; le donne avevano ottime prospettive di lavoro, un livello alto di assistenza all’infanzia, possibilità di guadagnare e di curare i familiari. Anche dieci anni dopo l’inizio del processo di transizione, in termini di sviluppo umano, la differenza tra uomini e donne è minore rispetto a molti altri paesi con livelli simili di reddito.