Women in Rural Areas of Serbia

Position woman in the rural environment has always been difficult and inextricably linked to her role in family. This was a critical factor determining its status and rights. When it comes to this and its economic dependency status in the second half of the 20th century, women are emancipated. These changes have influenced the position of women in family, relationship between sexes, interpersonal relations. The family changes its scope, functions and form. A family in the middle of the 20th century in rural areas counted dozens of its members, but today this type of family has almost disappeared. The average family in Serbia today has 2.9 members. There is an increase in the number of people living alone, an increase in incomplete families, a decline in birth rates, and a smaller number of members. Women in rural areas realize their economic role in a specific way. Position rural woman is special, but also of special social significance. Women in the village were, and still are, a marginalized social group that is still insufficiently known. Woman living in a family living and family has a more favourable social position, she is an active participant in the production and the owner of household.