Czech Life | All stories

While mothers in the Czech Republic enjoy one of the longest parental leaves in the world, they also experience serious setbacks when returning to work. Studies have shown they often see a drop in salary post maternity leave, they frequently find themselves in less skilled roles and are less likely to be promoted.

How does a partial lockdown feel in a small Czech town? The government declared a state of emergency more than a week ago. There is a ban on travel, schools are closed as well as most shops and other public institutions. Vít Pohanka lives in the town of Žďár nad Sázavou and sent this report.

There are about 1.5 million children and teenagers enrolled in Czech elementary and secondary schools. These days, as in other European countries, they must stay at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. Teachers are expected to keep in touch with them via e-mail and other online media. How are they managing?

What is the position of Czech women on the labour market? How big a slice of the female population is employed and what is their share in the technology industry? Those are some of the factors taken into account in compiling the Women in Work Index which compares conditions for women on the labour market across the OECD. The Czech Republic has done well in the latest report, jumping from 23 to 19th place on the ladder, largely due to the country’s record low unemployment. However one indicator is keeping the country back – the gender pay gap, which

Czech Christmas is unthinkable without a vast variety of cookies. Typically, Czech households start baking them at the beginning of the festive season so that they can stock up on them well ahead of the main holiday. Some of the cookies are for consumption, others are intended mainly as decorations for the Christmas tree. Vít Pohanka visited a Pardubice bakery to find out more about the latter:

In a book just out, the renowned Czech author and illustrator Renáta Fučíková tells the story of Czechs in North America. The idea to chronicle stories of Czech immigrants originated in Chicago, which is sometimes referred to as “the most Czech city” in the US. I met up with Renáta Fučíková at her studio in the Old Town district of Prague, where she was putting finishing touches on the final illustrations for her new book.

In 2011 Prague hosted its first Gay Pride parade attended by about one million people. Prague has since become one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in central Europe. Today there is an active gay scene in the city with gay bars and travesty shows attracting locals and foreign visitors. To find out more about the life of a drag queen Lena Fix interviewed Edgardo, also known as Gizela Kova.

“Masopust”, the time of carnivals which historically ended on Ash Wednesday, is the oldest continuous holiday feast in the Czech lands. In terms of cultural memory, it is also the longest still transmitted – its significance and meaning passed down from generation to generation.

The organisation Liga otevřených mužů, or League of Open Men, is currently running its seventh “Dry February” campaign. The aim is to encourage Czechs to abstain from alcohol for the entire month and – among other benefits – enjoy greater self-awareness, higher energy levels and better sex.

2018 has been a good year for the Czech economy. Unemployment is the lowest in the European Union, wages have grown both in the public and private sector. But statistical data are one thing, personal experience and perception can be quite different.