In July 2023, Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter submitted an Alternative Report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) concerning the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Croatia.
The preparation of this Report is an obligation of the national human rights institution (NHRI) holding A status and is in line with CERD General Recommendation No. 28 on the role of NHRIs in implementing the obligations arising from the Convention and the Committee’s recommendations.
CERD held its 110th session in Geneva from 7 to 31 August 2023. The discussion on the implementation of the Convention in Croatia took place on 9 and 10 August and was attended by Deputy Ombudswoman Tatjana Vlašić.
The Report is based on complaints handled by the institution, field work, research, and data collected from various stakeholders: public authorities, civil society organizations, trade unions, employers, universities, and others. It outlines challenges in protecting against discrimination on the basis of racial or ethnic origin, including comments on key strategic documents and a description of the most frequent complaints, as well as a more detailed analysis of areas under CERD’s mandate.
In particular, the Report addresses issues predominantly faced by members of the Roma and Serbian national minorities and migrants, as well as violations of rights in the field of work and employment in the context of national and ethnic origin, including those encountered by foreign workers who are nationals of third countries. It also highlights challenges related to hate crimes and hate speech, free legal aid, housing, and sustainable return.
The Report especially emphasizes the need to introduce mandatory human rights education as a separate school subject and as part of civic education. Within this subject, children would learn from an early age about the right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination, and the implementation of such education should be regularly evaluated.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is a body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in the States Parties. All States Parties are obliged to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention every five years. The Committee reviews the reports and issues concluding recommendations to the States.
The text of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is available here.
The most recent report on the implementation of the Convention was submitted by Croatia in 2020, in the form of a consolidated version of several periodic reports (from the 9th to the 14th). That report is available here (in English).