In 1998 women's shelters provided refuge to 421 women and 453 children. Women's organizations report that the increase over 1997 levels was almost entirely due to refugees from the former Yugoslavia. Information offices set up to respond to women in distress reported receiving a total of 4,752 telephone calls in 1998. Neither society nor the government is tolerant of violence against women, and the government prosecutes persons accused of such crimes. The government funds organizations providing shelter, counseling, and hot lines.
Women enjoy the same property rights as men.
In the absence of a prenuptial agreement, property is divided equally upon the dissolution of a marriage. The law mandates equal pay for equal work, and the Ministry for the Promotion of Women has a mandate to encourage a climate of equal treatment and opportunity. However, according to government reports, women are paid from 9 to 25 percent less than men for comparable work, depending on the profession. The differences are least in the highest paid professions and more substantial at lower salary levels. To date there have been no work-related discrimination lawsuits in the courts.