Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter took part on 10 June 2026 in a round table organised by the Croatian Helsinki Committee, entitled “How to Stop Poverty – Contributing to Addressing the Causes of Poverty in Croatia Ahead of Upcoming Global Challenges”.

The Ombudswoman emphasised that poverty and social exclusion are important areas in the work of the institution of the Ombudswoman, and that this topic is among those on which the institution receives the highest number of complaints each year.

Poverty is a significant social challenge in Croatia, one to which many people are unfortunately exposed, especially in the context of rising inflation and increasing living costs. Those at particular risk include people on low incomes, unemployed persons, often the long-term unemployed, older persons and pensioners, single parents, families with several children, Roma families, and persons with disabilities.

The Ombudswoman also pointed out that poverty is deeply connected with human rights, as it often prevents access to rights and freedoms that are essential for a dignified life. She stressed that poverty is not only an economic problem, or a lack of money, but also a matter of social exclusion, discrimination and access to human rights.

Precisely because poverty affects people in different ways, effectively combating it depends on inter-institutional cooperation, where there is certainly room for improvement. It is therefore necessary to strengthen coordination between all stakeholders, improve the exchange of information, and ensure timely and accessible support for persons at risk of poverty, while keeping long-term solutions in mind rather than relying on temporary care.

Alongside Ombudswoman Šimonović Einwalter, the discussion also included Ljubo Jurčić, Zoran Šućur, Jasna Vaniček Fila, Višnja Stanišić, Niko Kostanić, Fr. Tomislav Glavnik, Imam Arslani Mevludi, Archimandrite Danilo Ljubotina and Damir Ljubotina.

More information on this topic is available in the Ombudswoman’s Report.