Lithuania The Individual, Society And The State. Social Exclusion

another. On the other, the state should broaden ‘positive’ choices and support an individual by ensuring principles of equality in basic human rights and access to opportunities. Nevertheless there is a gap between proclaimed principles and the possibilities of adhering to them, which widens particularly in times of deep transformation. The Lithuanian Constitution ensures equal rights for everyone, but at the same time the state is not always capable of providing the necessary conditions for exercising these rights. In this way, the grounds for social conflict appear. For example, the rise in crime threatens individuals’ right to personal security, the Irena Zaleskienò volatility of the economy and labour market causes unemployment, a low standard of living often undermines the right The twin challenges of transition: responsibility for to education, a quality health service, adequate housing, oneself and for the state. In 1990, when Lithuanian citizens freedom to travel and the choice of a place of residence. demonstrated their intention to build a free and open society Rights and social exclusion. Lithuania has already based on the supremacy of law and democratic principles, passed the first two stages of transition - the dismantling of they simultaneously undertook the responsibility for both their authoritarian rule and transitional democratisation - and has personal lives and the restoration and strengthening of the already stepped into the third stage: democratic consolidastate. People were ready to overcome the legal, political and tion. In the stage of democratic consolidation particular social legacy of a totalitarian society and face the difficulties of importance is attached to safeguarding human rights. In transition. Nevertheless, it has now become clear that social 1998 we have been commemorating the 50th anniversary of processes are developing at a much the Universal Declaration of Human more rapid pace than the human Rights adopted by the United Many problems in contemmentality is able to adjust itself to new Nations, which Lithuania as an indeporary Lithuanian society values and lifestyles. This stimulates pendent state joined in 1991. There arise from the fact that the psychological instability, social disinteis an important task for this newly relationship between the gration and legal nihilism in society. restored republic, still struggling to individual and the state is Many problems in contemporary establish itself and be recognised changing fundamentally. Lithuanian society arise from the fact within the international community, to that the relationship between the indiprotect the entire range of human vidual and the state is changing funrights outlined by the Declaration as damentally. The supremacy of the state during the Soviet periwell as to further develop the idea of human rights. The traditional view limits human rights to civil and politod is being replaced by the supremacy of the individual. Facing previously unknown problems and being unable ical rights, among which the rights of the ‘first generation’ and sometimes unwilling to solve them, the individual turns are: the right to life, liberty and security; the right not be disto the elected authority, shifting personal responsibility criminated against on the basis of race, colour, gender, lan(sometimes excessively or disproportionately) to the state. guage, religion, social class or political opinion; the right to Nevertheless, today the image of a benevolent state lookvote, freedom of speech and freedom of the press; the right ing after everybody’s interests with equity and justice has to be free from the arbitrary invasion of privacy, and legal been consigned to the past. It is important to recognize that rights (the due process of law and the presumption of innothe way in which people build their lives depends on many circence until proven guilty). Today the traditional view of cumstances over which they may have no control. For examhuman rights is being expanded and the developed democple, children who are not attending school and who are not racies have already complemented fundamental civil and taught any skills are deprived of many political rights with the rights of the choices and opportunities for their next generation, which include cruThe Lithuanian Constitution future lives. And those people who cial social, economic and cultural ensures equal rights for have no access to information have rights: the right to an adequate staneveryone, but at the same no opportunities to make decisions. dard of living; to education; the right time the state is not always On the one hand, an individual has to to work and to equal remuneration capable of providing the take responsibility for many aspects of for equal work; and the right of necessary conditions for his own life becoming a decisive facminorities to enjoy their own culture, religion and language. Of particular exercising these rights. tor in choosing one mode of life or

1

THE INDIVIDUAL, SOCIETY AND THE STATE. SOCIAL EXCLUSION

Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

17

importance is that the ‘second generation of rights’ pays ly less success has been achieved in the field of rights to ecoattention to the gender dimension of rights and advancement nomic and personal security. Although basic economic rights for disadvantaged groups. It is obvious that the development such as the right to a minimum income and to social security of human rights is directed towards the elimination of social are guaranteed, people are still not adequately protected exclusion and the strengthening of social cohesion in society. against homelessness, unemployment and poverty. Access to Today, after experiencing almost half a century of totalitarquality health care and education depends on living standards ianism the Lithuanian people can freely and place of residence (there are wide and fully exercise their fundamental gaps between the quality of life in the If there is an obvious breakpolitical and civil rights. Nevertheless, cities, rural areas and small towns). The through in restoring democnot all fundamental rights are equally growing crime rate also undermines racy and political rights, relassured, while the above mentioned the right to a secure life. Lithuania is now in a phase of reatively less success has second generation of rights are still takdistributing its national wealth. This been achieved in the field of ing up their position. If there has been process is being accompanied by a economic and personal an obvious breakthrough in restoring rapid stratification in society, and also security rights. democracy and political rights, relativeby emerging new social actors (from landowners, enterpreneurs and the “ALL RIGHTS FOR ALL” self-employed, to the long-term “... Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable unemployed, the homeless and begrights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, jusgars) as these divide society and bring tice and peace in the world.” (from the Preamble to the Universal increasing social exclusion. Although social exclusion is a Declaration of Human Rights) complex phenomenon which is not According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the following easy measurable, the judgement that it are the most important human rights: is growing rapidly can be confirmed by •Everyone has the right to life, liberty and personal security. one of the most indicative (and in a •All are equal before the law and are entitled without discrimination to sense cumulative) indicators of social equal protection under the law. exclusion - the suicide rate, which is •No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. already highest in Europe. Most alarm•Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence withing is that suicide among disadvanin the borders of each state. taged groups (such as women, young •Everyone has the right to his own property as well as that in associpeople, the elderly, rural residents) is ation with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property. growing at an accelerating rate. •Everyone has the right to freedom of conscience and religion, of The nature of social exclupeaceful assembly and association. sion under transition. In a broad •Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, sense, social exclusion can be either directly or through freely chosen representatives. defined as involuntary alienation •Everyone has the right to equal access to public services in his counfrom social and economic assets. It try. is in fact a relative and multi-dimen•Everyone as a member of society has the right to social security. sional phenomenon, which is simulEconomic, social and cultural rights are indispensable for his dignity and taneously a characteristic of society for the free development of his personality. and the attribute of an individual. •Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment and to Social exclusion differs in form and equal pay for equal work. severity from the loss of previously •Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limiacquired rights or social positions tation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay. (scientists, technicians) to the com•Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health plete destruction of social ties (the and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, homeless, beggars). Here we will medical care and the necessary social services. examine social exclusion through •Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least the prism of the rights of citizenship, in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be in their broadest sense, as a combicompulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generalnation of political, social and ecoly available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the nomic rights. A rights-focused basis of merit. 18

Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

approach allows for the examination In a broad sense, social duce different incentives and disinof factors determining involuntary exclusion can be defined as centives. Social exclusion becomes restrictions in certain groups of peoinvoluntary alienation from the property of society if racial, sexuple exercising these rights. The reasocial and economic assets. al and other forms of discrimination sons for these restrictions may be of are presented, as well as when a personal and / or societal nature. sources of livelihood and public ser•An individual may not consider himself a part of socivices are segmented and inaccessible on equal terms. ety for personal, psychological, cultural and economic reaThese reasons may give rise to individual incentives as well sons. This means that such people experience a weak relaas cause disillusionment. The most vivid example of the tionship with society. They may lack ties to the family, to the inter-relationship between personal and societal causes of local community. They may also be disadvantaged in terms social exclusion could be the problems of suicide and alcoof their ability to realise their legal rights, and to establish and holism which both have deep personal and social roots. maintain social contacts. With a growing number of people Factors affecting social exclusion in Lithuania. who are unable to overcome the process of social exclusion, Over the last decade, the process of social exclusion and, a group of marginalised individuals can be formed who may consequently, the structure of society have been fundamenbecome excluded from society on a long-term basis or even tally affected by the following groups of factors, including legalpermanently. political, socio-economic, cultural and psychological: •Society itself preconditions the situation where individLegal and political factors. In Soviet times social excluuals and groups of people (national minorities, religious sion was mainly conditioned by legal and political factors. At groups, illegal immigrants, displaced persons, convicts and that time Lithuania’s citizens had only declared political ex-convicts, the unemployed, the homeless) feel they are rights, while the state regulated even private life. Therefore, isolated due to historical, political, cultural and social reapeople did not have to undertake any responsibility for their sons and that society is disrespectful of their needs, interfuture or for the present. There was the threat of being perests and aspirations. Often (particularly in times of economsecuted for political reasons and there were few possibilities ic recession or deep social transformation), large groups of to exercise legal rights, but there was less of a threat of such people may appear among the population such as unemployment and homelessness. In addition there was pensioners, women, single parent families and so on, guaranteed free health care, which included regular mass whose social status and habitual modes of life have crumpreventive medical examinations of the population and the bled overnight. Society is divided into groups organised vaccination of children against dangerous diseases. around different rules, institutions and interests which proEducation from basic to tertiary was also free. Particular attention was paid to children’s education. Parents were responsible for A characteristic feature of every society is that for certain reasons some peothis and the state strictly saw to it ple feel as though they have been, or in fact are, excluded from the society they that all children were enrolled. live in. The term ‘social exclusion’ is used to describe this phenomenon. Social On the other hand, society as a exclusion has always existed, although its manifestations, scope and consewhole was isolated (in a sense socialquences are different. ly excluded) from the world communiTheoretically, a modern social conflict can sometimes become identified with ty, while within it numerous obstacles, social exclusion, particularly during periods of political and social change, when restricted personal freedoms, and habitual social relationships and norms deteriorate and an individual is no longer possibilities for self-expression and capable of adjusting himself to the newly established social values owing to his incentives were erected. Among the social status. Here the emphasis is placed on the situation where people formallarger population groups, rural resily have all civil rights but have no opportunity, or have lost the opportunity, to exerdents were the worst affected in cise them. On the other hand, the new phenomenon of the ‘fall of a cultural structerms of social exclusion by the totalture’ has appeared in modern social theory (Durkheim, Merton, 1994), and is itarian state: all socio-economic poliattributed to the specific features of a modern society. For example, young peocy was based on the ideology of the ple are taught to strive for a career with all their patience and through education superiority of industry and the secand diligent work. In times of change and instability the chances of getting rich ond-rate role played by agriculture. quickly involve young people in risky and even illegal activities which may bear Consequently the incomes and qualifruit for few and disappointment for many. Consequently, the disappointed may ty of life of those employed in agriculfind themselves marginalised and join the ‘underclass’ or become drug-addicts, ture were lower than for people living alcoholics or criminals. For such people this may mean a disruption of links with and working in the cities. Dissidents family, friends, the public and sometimes even with the nation and state. who opposed the communist ideoloChapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

19

gy were persecuted and often could not find work which corMinorities by the year 2000. In 1998, 56 periodicals were responded to their education. So while officially possessing being issued in the languages of national minorities. State every right, these people were in fact socially excluded. television broadcasts daily news programmes and a weekIn today’s Lithuania the role of political and legal factors ly programme in Russian and Polish. What is important is in social exclusion have diminished and altered (compared that there is no intention to restrict or even abolish educato the Soviet period). Immediately after the restoration of tion in minority languages, an action which would be conindependence the new Constitution, along with a number sidered to encroach on fundamental human rights. of laws, was adopted to protect human rights in line with Another example is related to children’s rights. For Western democracies. Society has therefore become open example, not every child of school age can exercise his or and noticeably more democratic. However, the present her right to education. More than 20,000 children do not stage in the development of Lithuanian society allows one attend school, for reasons mainly related to their parents’ to ascertain that in reality not everybody can exercise his social status, the family’s living standards, or to being an constitutional rights. orphan. Such children have every chance of becoming Sometimes, exercising one’s political and cultural rights socially disadvantaged or even marginalised in the future. throws up certain obstacles, despite the fact that these The right to social security in old age can also be under rights are backed up constitutionally as well as by ordinary question if pensions are not always enough to satisfy even laws. In Lithuania this is mainly related not to obstacles the most essential needs, let alone to allow for a life worth deliberately erected by the state (though there are still many living. One more controversial constitutional right is the right unsolved problems in the sphere of law and order), but to to a free higher education for diligent students. For example, drastic changes and economic difficulties in this transitional students at Vilnius University who have an average of eight period. For example, Lithuania has achieved more progress points (out of ten) which is rather high must pay for their in ensuring the rights of minorities than neighbouring Latvia studies. Some more examples can be given to demonstrate and Estonia, which is conducive to social cohesion. the deviation between the legalisation of rights and the actuImmediately after the restoration of independence, citizenal opportunity to exercise them. The right to employment is ship rights were granted to all permanent residents inside undermined not only by unemployment but by the wide the country irrespective of their nationality and length of resqualitative erosion of employment, when many people idence. Consequently, the constitu(almost 14% of the labour force) tional right to elect and to be elected accept unsafe employment in terms Lithuania has achieved is accessible to all those who of income and social insurance. more progress in ensuring received Lithuanian citizenship. Although people formally have the the rights of minorities Meanwhile, on the basis of more right to housing, thousands of famithan neighbouring Latvia restrictive citizenship laws in Latvia lies have no accommodation of their and Estonia, which is conand Estonia, almost half of the popown and many people are homeless. ducive to social cohesion. ulations of the other two Baltic states Socio-economic factors. If have no citizenship and, as a result, before the restoration of indepenno right to vote and can to some dence social exclusion had mostly extent be considered socially excluded. been preconditioned by political and legal factors, then now A no less important issue is the right to education in the main impact is being made by socio-economic factors. one’s native language. In Lithuania the law incorporates During a period of deep transformation large groups of the and ensures these rights. In 1997 and 1998 there were population may suddenly find themselves socially excluded secondary schools in the following languages of instrucbecause of their nationality, age, gender, education, occution: Russian, Polish, Belarusian, Hebrew (since 1989), pation, income or beliefs. For example, with the collapse of German and Ukrainian (at the first grade in a state secthe Soviet economy many people with certain occupations ondary school). There are special programmes sponsored became unemployed. With the adoption of the Law on the by the Government in the field of education for minorities: State Language speakers of other languages have faced the Prospective Programme for obstacles in employment and everyAcquiring Secondary, Vocational day life. The majority of those newly More than 20,000 children and Higher Education for National excluded people who have become do not attend school, for Minorities residing in Lithuania unemployed, and who are without reasons mainly related to before the year 2000, and the fluent command of the state lantheir parents’ social status, Programme on the Training of guage, particularly if they are in their the family’s living standards, Teachers for the Educational fifties, experience severe difficulties or to being an orphan. Establishments of National in integrating into society. 20

Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

When analysing social exclusion in modern society, rural population has for decades been excluded from all we most often face the problem of insufficient attention the comforts of modern life, from a lack of modern domesbeing given by society and the state to safeguarding tic facilities to limited access to health care, education, socio-economic rights and the principle of equality. Social employment, culture and entertainment. Social exclusion in exclusion in transitional Lithuania is mainly related to: rural areas has intensified under transition. Social exclusion •living standards. Low incomes and poverty in is significantly influenced not only by the low quality of rural Lithuania (including employment-related poverty) act as a life itself but by the wide gaps between the quality of life in barrier to the realisation of citizenship rights and do not the cities, small towns and rural areas. Many human develallow a meaningful life to be led within the values accepted opment indicators confirm this. Mortality and morbidity by society. The adverse patterns of consumption provide (particularly related to non-medical causes of death and evidence that people (particularly the poorest) spend their social disease) in rural areas exceeds that of urban areas incomes mainly on food and utilities while expenture on (taking into account the age differences in the population). health, education, recreation are culture are disproportionAs was mentioned above, the rural poverty level exceeds ately low (particularly compared to the urban one. Rural poverty is more EU standards). Among povertysevere, and deeper. Unemployment If before the restoration of prone groups in the population are is also higher in rural areas. independence social exclufamilies with small children, pension•age. Age-related social exclusion had mostly been preers and the unemployed, while sion is most acute regarding chilconditioned by political and poverty is deeper and more severe in dren and their rights (since children legal factors, then now the small towns and rural areas. are very often unable to control or main impact is being made Moreover, many people who do not influence those circumstances by socio-economic factors. belong to the category of the poor which are ‘laying the foundations’ for (such as the salaried middle strata: their social exclusion). The following teachers, doctors, scholars...) have indicators and manifestations are suffered a decline in their standard of living which has affectindicative of the alarming situation concerning the violation ed their habitual way of life and their social behaviour. of children’s rights which may lead to their social exclusion: •education, employment and occupation. The majorthe growing number of foster children and orphans; the ity of people of working age have acquired their education fact that children often fall victim to poverty, since families during the period of a planned economy, so today many with small children belong to those groups vulnerable to of them have no marketable qualifications and are poverty; the number of children dropping out of elementary exposed to the risk of open or latent unemployment. For school; and the alarmingly rising rate of juvenile delinquenexample, many scientific and technical workers employed cy. Juvenile delinquency not only keeps to its obvious tenin machine building and electronics, or academics and dency to increase; minors are committing more and more researchers, have lost their social status and employserious crimes. The problems involving such children ment. Unemployment, particularly long-term unemployremain acute despite the fact that many efforts are being ment, is spreading not only among people whose educamade for the legal and institutional protection of children’s tion or occupation fails to meet labour demands, but rights. Issues related to this problem are being addressed among young people who have no employment record. by several institutions (including NGOs). The establishment The unsafe, low-quality employment which provides a of an institution for an Ombudsman for the rights of the livelihood for so many people exposes them to social child is currently under discussion. A Service for the risks related to old age, unemployment and sickness. It Protection of the Rights of the Child was set up within the dooms many to social exclusion in the future. The probMinistry of Social Security and Labour. This institution is lem of basic education for children deserves a separate directly responsible for the organisation, control and supermention. As indicated above, drop-outs are certainly a vision of the enforcement of laws and norms regulating group at high risk from social exclusion. children’s rights. In 1996, the Children’s Affairs •place of residence. Contrary to urban residents, the Consultative Council was set up under the office of the exclusion of the rural population has President, and a Commission of a long history and a very broad Family and Child Affairs was estabSocial exclusion in rural nature. The primitive technology lished under Parliament in 1997. areas has intensified under used in agriculture, scarce job Similar services function in the varitransition. Many human opportunities and poor transport ous cities and regions of Lithuania. development indicators and communications have led to a Important steps were made in the confirm this. situation where the majority of the direction of social integration for Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

21

children who have already suffered from social exclusion Lithuanian society could be added to those groups at and other unfavourable circumstances. Yet in 1995 the high risk from social exclusion. In addition, public General Statute of Non-Governmental Child Care Homes opinion polls carried out by the Gallup Institute in and a Provisional Statute for Special Education and Care 1996 show that 48% of the population (39% of men Homes for Children were adopted. These provided the and 56% of women) think that society gives its prefbasis for numerous child care institutions to be established, erences to men; 57% of the population are of the including those of a new type - Family Care Homes which opinion that professional opportunities for men are resemble as closely as possible the environment of the better those for women. family. The NGO ‘Save the Children’ collects information on ••• the situation in the field of children’s rights and this information is often more accurate and objective than official To sum up, it should be mentioned that to conform with sources. •gender. The Lithuanian Constitution and Lithuthe nature of transition and social relationships in Lithuania, anian laws (including those which regulate labour relaa different ‘weight’ should be attached to the above factors. tions) provide for equal rights between men and Social exclusion in terms of scope is determined more by women. The legal system has failed to formulate an low standards of living and poverty, deprivation associated official definition of discrimination against women. In with latent, open and long-term unemployment and by the reality, women face hidden discrimination. For examdifferences in the quality of life between the cities, towns ple, despite the fact that women dominate among and rural areas. people with higher education, they still face discriminaThe underclass. There has still been no statistical or tion when certain faculties in higher education instituempirical investigation into the so-called underclass, which tions almost openly demonstrate their preference to is made up of those who are marginalised completely men in entry competitions. In 1997 1,789 women and (chronic alcoholics, drug-addicts, people with psychologi3,706 men were scholars, out of whom 110 women cal problems, ex-convicts who fail to integrate into society, and 658 men held doctor habilities, of which 488 men the homeless). Nevertheless, indirect data (mostly based and only 54 women held the acaon opinions and assessments) prodemic degree of a professor. The vided by municipalities and social Women make up a minority most common notion of discrimiassistance units give plenty of eviamong supervisory managenation in the labour market relates dence that the number of such peorial groups, which severely to recruitment practices when ple has almost doubled over the last undermines their participapreference is given to men, and five to seven years. To them, social tion in decision making. ‘redundancies’ to women (it is security, charity and even emerusually the case that women lose gency medical assistance are their jobs first). A persistent form almost inaccessible. Certain occaof labour market disadvantage for women lies in the sional assistance is sometimes provided by municipalities. pattern of occupational segregation; women make up However, no uniform social protection policy for these peoa minority among supervisory managerial groups, ple has as yet been developed. How the individual, society and the state chalwhich severely undermines their participation in decilenge social exclusion. The state tends to be a key instision making. There is only one woman in the current tution on which both the existence and patterns of social cabinet - the Minister of Social Security and Labour. exclusion, as well as the conditions for social integration, to Out of 1,459 members of local government councils, a great extent depend. Besides such an important thing as 325 are women (21.9%). Out of 56 mayors there are providing education, health care, income-earning opportuonly two women (3.6%). In May 1997 36% of total diplomatic service personnel were women. Finally, nities and personal security, social exclusion also depends women are disadvantaged in terms of wages and on how the state takes care of the psychological well-being earnings, on average earning approximately 1.5 times of its people, on conditions for participation in civil society less than men do. Perils for female employment could and the public awareness of human rights. As mentioned above, social exclusion is quite relative: lie ahead since women face a double challenge comeven cases where an individual seems to exclude himself bining a workload related to their family and a career. from society can be treated as the result of an insufficient Women become the victims of domestic violence social policy. International experience gives evidence that more often than men. Today, trafficking in women and social exclusion is characteristic not only of developing or forced prostitution are acute problems. This allows transitional economies, but also of mature industrialised the assumption that in certain cases women in 22

Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

economies. The upsurge of social exclusion in this transiParticularly important is human rights education at the tional period becomes the problem of the state, which basic school level, since this is what will empower the requires the urgent attention of policy makers. The role of coming generations. Human rights topics have already the state in reducing social exclusion in essence depends been incorporated into the Basic Programmes of not only on a policy of income distribution, social security Education, in the subjects of civil education, history and and law and order, but also on the ability to integrate prinethics. It is very important to chose the right angle for the ciples of sustainable human development into its developpresentation of human rights-related problems, avoiding ment strategy. In other words, the state’s rules and institupoliticisation and a biased, ‘pro-government or pro-ruling tions should be aimed at building a ‘society for everybody’, party’ approach. The institution-building capacity for the protection of where diversity of choice is combined with equality of human rights is also one of the important activities of the access to important human development opportunities and state, indirectly related to reducing social exclusion. obeying the law. The success of this task will very much Although the institutions of a civil society cannot depend on the ability of the state to establish a constructive replace the state, their mutually reinforcing efforts, particand confident dialogue with individuals. In this respect, inteularly in the situation of a non-universal (unequal) enforcegrated programmes and projects combining the efforts of ment of citizenship rights, can help to break exclusion. individuals and civil society should be encouraged and supBoth the relationship between an individual and the state ported by the state, aiming at the psychological and social and the formation of a civil society depend on an individconsolidation of society; strengthening personal security, ual’s participation in governance, decision-making and and law and order; stimulating participation; and supporting solving pressing social problems. employment and meaningful leisure. Moreover, in the opinion of psySuch programmes would become a The state tends to be a key chologists, the general psychologidecisive factor in, and would exert a institution on which both cal climate in society, people’s profound influence on, social intethe existence and patterns beliefs in the success of reforms, gration in society. Education on human rights is of social exclusion, as well and confidence in one’s own capabecoming vitally important, since as the conditions for social bilities and those of public instituknowledge inherited from the Soviet integration, to a great tions exert a profound influence on period on this issue is insufficient. extent depend. participation, and reduce social exclusion. In 1998 the first investigations Marginalised people in selected cities* into NGOs, commissioned and financed by the US Agency for Districts Kaunas ·iauliai Vilnius Visaginas International Development, were carasocial families 2000 350 568 49 ried out in Lithuania (an opinion poll people without permanent residence 500 60 150 45 and survey of 50 NGOs). Analysing foster children and teenagers 294 570 563 the participation of citizens in their people forced to beg 10 130 116 activities from the point of view of people who have chosen to beg 90 120 116 reducing social exclusion, several drug-addicts 129 958 94 important findings may be emphaothers 108 160 9100 47 sised: who participates in NGOs; people in abandoned flats 23 20 76 30 which NGOs are known to the Lithuanian people; whether these *Aggregated information submitted by municipalities organisations are supported financially by the population; and which population groups make use of Despite the difficulties of economic transition, people generally share a those services provided by NGOs: •Participation: only 9% of the positive view of the market economy. Data from ‘Baltijos tyrimai’ (Baltic population indicated that they Surveys; autumn 1997) showed that 68% of adult respondents approved of belong to some sort of organisation. the development to a market economy, and that only 26% were of the A similar situation can be observed opposite opinion (Lithuanian Barometer, ‘Baltijos tyrimai,’ Autumn 1997). in other transitional societies, while The most active section of the population still gives preference to the accelin mature democracies this proporeration of reforms, but people aged over 50, particularly pensioners, think tion reaches 70%. that the economy should not be reformed at such a rapid pace. Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion

23

has been noticed that providing services to institutions or, for example, businessmen, is not as important to No. %* them as representing their interests and protecting their 1. Caritas 35 rights. Socially deprived people, young people and 2. Charity Fund 15 women find both social services rendered and the pro3. Society for the Disabled 14 tection of their interests and rights equally important. In 4. Trade Unions 11 analysing the extent of the educational activity of NGOs 5. SOS Children (SOS vaikai) 10 it becomes clear that fewer educational services are 6. Red Cross Society 9 rendered to socially deprived people. The conclusion 7. Organisation of Social Security 8 can be drawn that NGOs tend to provide specific ser8. The Greens 4 vices rather than empower people, creating the condi9. Sports Club 4 tions for them to change the situation by themselves. In 10. ‘Viltis’ (Hope) 4 our opinion this attitude should be changed in essence 11. Open Society Fund - Lithuania 4 towards empowerment, which will be conducive to 12. Farmers’ Union 4 social cohesion. 13. Association of the Blind 3 Participation in political parties and elections and the 14. Children’s’ Aid Fund 3 influence of this on social cohesion deserves a separate 15. Vytautas Landsbergis Fund 3 mention. Over the last decade the decrease in citizens’ 16. Society of Environmental Protection 3 participation in political parties and in elections has been 17. Society of Political Prisoners and Deportees 3 observed in society. Currently, 2-4% of the population 18. Society of Deportees 3 are members of political parties. On the one hand, this can be explained by the fact that the individual’s inter*Percentage calculated from the number of people who indicated at est in politics most often depends on the real possibility least one NGO of influencing political decisions. At the beginning of the restoration •Which NGOs are known to Fourteen per cent of the of statehood many people people: it is clear that it is only these population have provided believed that such a personal organisations which can exert any financial support to NGOs influence could be achieved. influence upon society. It is interestduring the last eight years. Some wanted to try politics out for ing to note that 64% of the populathemselves. However, with the tion know at least one NGO. Having stabilisation of social and political made a more detailed analysis of which NGOs are known life, certain political interests represented by groups of to the respondents, one can draw the conclusion that the professional politicians have formed, while public intermajority are familiar with those NGOs dealing with social est in politics has diminished. problems (Caritas, SOS Children), and cultural and educational organisations (such as the Association of Artists, ••• or the Open Society Fund - Lithuania). •Financial support, and making use of services proThe problem of social exlusion, indeed its very convided by NGOs: the survey data show that 14% of the cept, is still very new in the Lithuanian context. In actupopulation have provided financial support to NGOs al fact there has been no in-depth research conducted during the last eight years (3% of respondents did not into this problem so far, and consequently no compreremember having done that). As little as 13% of responhensive social statistics by which exclusion may be dents make use of the services provided by NGOs (4% measured, as well as the methods for such analysis, did not remember). have so far been developed. There are, therefore, very A qualitative analysis of NGO activity shows that few publications on the issue. In a sense, this publicatrends in rendering social services and those for repretion is pioneering, aiming at raising the issue of social senting interests are inversely proportional. This means exclusion and at suggesting a framework for its future that the more services are provided to a certain group research and conceptualisation. the less its interests are represented. Nevertheless, it NGOs mentioned most often

24

Chapter 1. The Individual, Society and the State. Social Exclusion