The Committee praised the State party for its achievements in promoting gender equality through recently passed legislation such as the Gender Equality Act of 2002, a new Family Law, the Law on the Protection from Family Violence, as well as amendments to the Criminal Code and Labour Code. It also commended the country on its current and future National Policy for the Promotion of Gender Equality.

The Committee made positive note of the increased number of women involved at the parliamentary level and in the National Government and commended the country for its ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against women.

The Committee also outlined some areas of concern regarding the State party’s implementation of the Convention. It noted, in particular, that the information the State party provided the Committee regarding the status of minority women and women with disabilities was insufficient. In addition, while Croatia has enacted anti-discrimination laws, it has not taken steps to ensure they are adequately implemented. Finally, the Committee suggested that the State party presented insufficient statistics on the progress made in the country.

To ensure that Croatia continues to promote gender equality under the Convention, the Committee suggested the country take the following measures among others: Strengthen the Government Office of Gender Equality; ensure de facto equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market through education, training and retraining measures; eliminate discrimination against Roma women; intensify efforts to eliminate gender stereotyping and bolster gender mainstreaming, and increase efforts to combat trafficking in women and girls.

Please click here to read the Committee’s concluding comments.

Compiled from: Concluding comments: Croatia, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Thirty-second session, 10-28 January 2005.