Economia hosts winners of the “TOP Women of the Czech Republic” poll

On October 16, 2024, the winners of the Hospodářské noviny “TOP Women of the Czech Republic” poll met at the new headquarters of the Economia Media House in Holešovice, Prague.

Invitees included winners from all 19 of the previous polls, along with the women included in its Hall of Fame, and, of course, the project’s patron, Michaela Bakala.

In her opening remarks, Bakala noted: “Next year will mark two decades of the ‘TOP Women of the Czech Republic’ poll. Is it still relevant? Has it brought anything to our society? I am convinced that it is and that it has. We have seen significant shifts in society’s attitudes toward the provision of equal opportunities for women and female leadership. We continue to hear new stories of capable women pursuing their dreams and goals. On the other hand, we continue to see troubling statistics regarding the persistent wage gaps between women and men, the minimal representation of women in top decision-making positions in sectors such the judiciary, or even in women-heavy fields like education. We see differences in pension benefits between the genders, and we know that 98 percent of parental benefit recipients are still women. While many companies offer flexible working conditions and reduced hours for parents of young children, we also find many rigid employers who still aren’t supportive of parenthood. For these reasons, it’s important that we continue with the TOP Women project alongside Hospodářské noviny, and that we stay focused on the importance of women to our economy and to the functioning of our state. We humbly believe we have contributed to improving the status of women, and I intend to continue both in my support of these activities and in my role as the project’s patron.”

The editorial team of Hospodářské noviny combined the meeting with the recording of the next episode of the podcast “Generational Conflict". Its hosts, Veronika Capáková and Petr Honzejk, engaged the guests in a lively and humorous debate on the stereotypes associated with Generation Z and Generation X.

The winners of the 20th edition of the “TOP Women of the Czech Republic” poll will be announced next March. As always, they will include the most successful and inspiring female entrepreneurs, managers, public sector changemakers, and women in startups.