{"id":21497,"date":"2024-11-26T14:06:06","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T12:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ombudsman.hr\/en\/?p=21329"},"modified":"2025-05-27T14:17:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T12:17:02","slug":"human-rights-conference-implementation-of-international-recommendations-addressed-to-the-republic-of-croatia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ombudsman.hr\/en\/human-rights-conference-implementation-of-international-recommendations-addressed-to-the-republic-of-croatia\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Rights Conference \u2013 Implementation of International Recommendations Addressed to the Republic of Croatia"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ombudswoman Tena \u0160imonovi\u0107 Einwalter, in cooperation with the Human Rights House Zagreb, organized the Human Rights Conference \u2013 Implementation of International Recommendations Addressed to the Republic of Croatia<\/strong> on 26 November 2024.<\/p>\n

The aim of the conference was to contribute to strengthening human rights protection in Croatia by encouraging the implementation of recent recommendations received by Croatia from UN committees\u2014specifically, those from the Human Rights Committee in September of this year and from the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in October 2023.<\/p>\n

These committees\u2019 recommendations indicate what states need to do better to protect human rights, based on obligations they have undertaken. In this case, those obligations stem from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights<\/strong> and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination<\/strong>. States are required to submit reports to these committees on the implementation of the Covenant and the Convention, after which the committees issue recommendations.<\/p>\n

Opening the conference, the Ombudswoman emphasized that especially in recent times\u2014globally, in Europe, and in Croatia\u2014human rights are increasingly questioned and politicized. They are too often framed as opinions, even though they are, in fact, international law\u2014human rights law. The state has undertaken legal obligations, and human rights must be treated accordingly\u2014as legal obligations.<\/p>\n

The world is currently facing several crises, and one of the appropriate responses must be more, not fewer, human rights. Human rights must be discussed and taught, and international mechanisms\u2019 recommendations must be implemented\u2014with human rights defenders and institutions responsible for their promotion and protection insisting on this process.<\/p>\n

She described the Office of the Ombudswoman as a bridge connecting different actors\u2014civil society organizations, competent authorities, the Croatian Parliament\u2014and as an institution that provides perspective and conveys the experiences and messages of citizens.<\/p>\n

Ivan Novosel, Program Director of the Human Rights House Zagreb, emphasized that the implementation of international procedures is a long-term process, and that this conference is one way to initiate it. It offers an opportunity to reflect on what implementation should look like\u2014in the spirit of dialogue and by recognizing the different roles of those involved in the process\u2014and can help raise the visibility of the recommendations.<\/p>\n

Participants also heard a video message from Vladlen Stefanov of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He stressed that national human rights institutions<\/strong>, such as the Croatian Ombudswoman, play a key role in implementing international recommendations, particularly by informing the committees of the gap between guaranteed and actual rights of citizens, as well as of the steps needed to close that gap.<\/p>\n

Romana Kuzmani\u0107 \u2013 Olui\u0107, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, shed light on the complexity of the process from the perspective of a state party to international treaties. She noted that Croatia is doing well in terms of its ratification policy of international instruments but added that before ratification, more should be done to assess the legal framework and conduct analyses by competent authorities.<\/p>\n

Two panel discussions followed, focusing on the recommendations of the two committees and their implementation, featuring representatives of state authorities, ombudsperson institutions, and civil society organizations.<\/p>\n

On the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination<\/strong>, the panel included:<\/p>\n