国产AV

REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM FOR ACTION (A/52/231)

The material posted here was provided to the Division for the Advancement of Women by the Government in response to the Secretary-General's Questionnaire on Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. It has been made available in electronic format from the form received. In cases where it was not possible to reproduce charts and tables supplied, these can be obtained by contacting the Division for the Advancement of Women directly.

CROATIA

REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM OF ACTION AND THE NATIONAL POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA FOR THE PROMOTION OF EQUALITY (ACCORDING TO THE UN QUESTIONNAIRE)

PART I - SURVEY OF THE TRENDS IN ACHIEVING GENDER EQUALITY AND ADVANCING THE STATUS OF WOMEN

When the Republic of Croatia achieved independence, it began to build a modern democratic state. With the passage of a new Constitution in 1990, it abandoned the former single-party system and public ownership, and began the process of transition toward political democracy and a market economy. Until 1998, this transition occurred under difficult conditions due to wartime aggression and the struggle to achieve territorial integrality. When the Croatian authorities regained full control over the Podunavlje region, a more rapid continuation of the transition and democratization process occurred.

In the legal system, a special place is occupied by the international treaties to which the Republic of Croatia is a party, and which according to the new Constitution have a powerful regulatory role. According to Article 134 of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, the implementation of international treaties that have been signed and ratified in accordance with the Constitution comprises a part of the internal legal system, and such treaties are legally more powerful than laws. After independence, the Republic of Croatia ratified the succession of international treaties that regulate the area of human rights, to which the former state was a party, and gradually assumed new obligations as well. For example, in 1995 the Republic of Croatia ratified the Optional Protocols on the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights, according to which the abolition of the death penalty was confirmed constitutionally and it became possible for individuals to submit complaints to the Commission for Human Rights.

As an independent country, the Republic of Croatia became a member of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on October 10, 1991, after obtaining notification of succession.

The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women are the basic legal instruments for determining the legal position of women in the Republic of Croatia. Numerous laws have been based upon them that contain stipulations relevant to the advancement of the status of women. According to Article 134, the Constitution of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women has a legal status below the Constitution and above the law and is to be applied directly. It is a powerful instrument for the legal establishment of the status of women in the Republic of Croatia. All the laws that concern this area as well as Conventions must be in accordance with the stipulations of the Convention, and in the event of conflict it is necessary to apply the Convention which, according to the Constitution, has the stronger legal force.

Regarding the implementation of the Convention in the Republic of Croatia, in 1994 the Government submitted an initial report to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on the implementation of the Convention. In January 1995, at the request of CEDAW, it submitted A Special Report on the Wartime Suffering of Women. The initial report on the implementation of the Convention covered the period from 1990 to 1994, with oral supplements to the report regarding the implementaton of the Convention from 1994 to 1998. CEDAW considered the report in January 1998 and adopted the Recommendations for the Further Implementation of the Convention in the Republic of Croatia.

Preparation of the National Report on the Status of Women in the Republic of Croatia during 1994 within the framework of preparations for the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 represented further impetus for considering the status of women de jure and de facto in the Republic of Croatia by the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The delegation that participated in the Fourth World Conference on Women, starting from the Platform of Action that contained an all-encompassing program for advancing the status of women in twelve critical areas, proposed that the Government of the Republic of Croatia should establish a special agency for advancing the status of women and prepare a national plan for the implementation of the Beijing Platform in the Republic of Croatia.

On May 9, 1996, the Government of the Republic of Croatia established a Commission for Issues of Equality, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of European Integration, Dr. Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, and the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Vera Babic as the co-chairwoman. The Commission is an advisory body to the Government comprised of representatives of the ministries and other government bodies. The secretariat of the Commission is in the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, headed by the Head of the Department for International Relations and Cooperation, Marina Musulin. With the establishment of the Commission for Issues of Equality, an inter-resource group of Government officials was assembled to articulate the Government interests in this area.

Starting from the Beijing Platform, the Commission prepared the National Policy for the Promotion of Equality that the Government adopted on December 18, 1997. The National Policy for the Promotion of Equality is to establish the situation in the area of gender equality in the Republic of Croatia and the critical areas where action is necessary: the human rights of women, institutional mechanisms for improving the status of women, women in positions of power and decision-making, women and health, the education and professional qualification of women, violence against women, women and the economy, and women and armed conflicts. In each of these areas, goals and the measures necessary to achieve them were established.

Particular attention was directed at improving the economic and political status of women. In the area of promoting a better economic status for women, particular attention was given to the employment and self-employment of women, while in the area of the presence of women in political life, greater attention was devoted to sensitizing the public to the need for a greater presence of women in various forms of political decision-making. The National Policy is directed toward abolishing stereotypes concerning gender differences during the processes of education, and the stereotype that de jure gender equality necessarily signifies de facto gender equality. De jure gender equality is a necessary prerequisite for de facto equality, while data on the presence of women in political and public life (women comprise 8.2% of the members of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia) indicate a great discrepancy, upon which it is necessary to act with various measures to promote more significant participation by women in public and political life. A systematic collection of data is planned regarding employment in the Government administration according to sex, in order to obtain a complete picture of the current situation and trends that indicate the status of women in Government services.

In preparing the National Policy, non-governmental organizations that are concerned with this area were invited to participate. Thus, actual cooperation began between the Commission and NGOs in advancing the status of women and implementing the Beijing Platform. It is significant to emphasize that after the democratic changes in the Republic of Croatia, a large number of NGOs were established (approximately 60) that are systematically engaged in the problems of advancing the status of women. The Commission for Issues of Equality, recognizing their great significance and role as well as its own guiding role, began to establish better communication and subsequently cooperation with a large number of NGOs in numerous areas of the implementation of the National Policy.

Cooperation between the Commission and the NGOs was institutionalized in a manner so that the Commission asked the NGOs engaged in women's rights to appoint an Advisory Committee that together with the Commission would foster activity in this area. At a meeting of the Commission held on April 28, 1998, it was decided that the Advisory Committee would consist of five representatives of the non-governmental associations that would be present at the meetings of the Commission, and that the members of the Committee would change every six months. In the first six months, beginning on June 1, 1998, the members of the Advisory Committee, according to the decision of the Commission, were as follows: 衭rda Kneževic (Ženska Infoteka), Lovorka Martinovic (TOD, women's group and Vita Ploce), Slavica Kušic (Center for Female Victims of the War, Women's Counseling Center and Kontra), Martina Belic (B.a.B.e.) and Melita Švob (Union of the Jewish Women of Croatia).

It is difficult to assess the status of women in comparison to 1995 in the areas that do not concern national politics without specific quantitative indices. The National Policy does not deal with certain areas: women and poverty, women and the media, women and the environment, the female child etc., but the measures and activities in these areas are encompassed within the framework of the measures and activities of the established areas. Regarding the female child, the opinion prevailed that special measures are not needed because all children are encompassed by the National Plan for Children, and the female child is not subjected to discrimination in the law or in the sense of the educational approach. Nonetheless, within the framework of education, particular attention has been devoted to eliminating the stereotyped representation of women and little girls in the educational system. Women and poverty are included in the topic women and the economy. Regarding the topic of women and the media, special measures are not anticipated . The NGOs have conducted an analysis indicating the inadequate presence of women in the media and the need for work in this area. Within the framework of the implementation of the National Policy, the Commission subsequently adopted a plan for measures in the area of women in rural environments, with the goal of educating, training, and informing the public about the status of rural women in order to influence general public opinion. Additionally, specific projects are planned with reference to the geographical and agro-ecological conditions in the Republic of Croatia and promoting an association of rural women.

Starting from 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women and the implementation of the Platform of Action in the Republic of Croatia, we record the following progress:

In 1996, the Government Commission for Issues of Equality was established as a coordinating body for monitoring the status of women and promoting gender equality.

The National Policy for the Promotion of Equality was adopted in 1997, in which the existing situation was established (as, for example, the inadequate participation of women in public and political life) that also contains specific measures for advancing the status of women.

With the adoption of the National Policy by the Government, the concept that de jure equality was sufficient to establish de facto gender equality was abandoned, and a policy was adopted that recognized the need for undertaking various measures for advancing the status of women and achieving gender equality.

Funds were obtained for the work of the Commission and the implementation of the National Policy for the Promotion of Equality that have increased every year and thereby permit expansion of the activities of the Commission.

Cooperation between the Commission and NGOs engaged in improving the status of women has been established.

NGOs are institutionally included in the work of the Commission for Issues of Equality.

The Commission for Equality Issues, in cooperation with the NGOs, has organized several joint meetings and forums at which various questions have been discussed in connection with the status of women, e.g., a meeting on the presence of women in political life, a meeting on violence against women, by which it was confirmed that in questions concerning advancing the status of women, cooperation between the Government and NGOs is essential.

The Commission has begun co-financing NGO projects that concern the implementation of the Beijing Platform, thereby permitting expansion and the inclusion of a larger number of participants in the implementation of the goals of the National Policy.

PART II - FINANCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES

The establishment and development of the Commission, and the Budget according to years

For the systematic monitoring and promotion of the full equality of women and men, on May 9, 1996 the Government of the Republic of Croatia established the Commission for Issues of Equality. The Commission is an advisory body of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister. The Commission for Equality Issues is an inter-resource body to which the authorized ministries have appointed their personnel who are engaged in questions of gender equality at their individual ministries. The secretariat of the Commission is located in the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and the deputy minister of labor is the vice chairwoman of the Commission.

For the operations of the Commission for Issues of Equality and the implementation of the goals and measures undertaken from the National Policy, it was necessary to obtain funding from the Government budget. The Commission began with modest funding but the amount increased from year to year, thereby permitting expansion of the activities of the Commission.

The budget for the Commission according to year was as follows:

for 1996, funding was 20,000.00 kunas,

for 1997, funding was 150,000.00 kunas,

for 1998, funding was 150,000.00 kunas,

for 1999, funding was 505,000.00 kunas.

The implementation of the National Policy and the planned measures are also financed by funding allocated for the work of individual ministers, for whom implementing these measures overlaps with their regular activities.

The funding approved for the work of the Commission and the implementation of the National Policy for 1999 permitted the co-financing of several NGO projects, particularly those engaged in providing assistance to female victims of violence.

Following a public competition held on March 31, 1999, the Commission and five non-governmental organizations signed contracts for financial support for 1999 (LOBI-Samobor - 20,000.00 kunas for the project Samobor Silk Flowers; Vojnic Women's Group - 20,000.00 kunas for the project Women and Violence; the Better Future Association of Rom Women of Croatia - 20,000.00 kunas for the Educational Project for Protection from Family Violence; TOD-Association for the Study of the Transition to Democracy - 25,000.00 kunas for the project Women in Transition; and the Women's Group of the Center for 国产AV, Nonviolence and Human Rights of Osijek - 15,000.00 kunas for the project Women to Women).

The funding for NGO work was allocated via the Government Office for Associations that co-finances NGO projects within the framework of its activities. The Government Office for Associations co-financed the following projects: Women's Aid - 250,000.00 kunas; O-ZONA Aid to Women in Crisis - 116,000.00 kunas; Autonomous Women's House in Zagreb (shelter for female war victims) - 433,213.00 kunas; Civil Association of Women - 80,000.00 kunas; Center for Female War Victims - 44,770.00 kunas; Croatian Women - 106,000.00 kunas; Step of Hope Association - 100,000.00 kunas; the Center for the Education and Counseling of Women - 50,000 kunas; the Association of Croatian Women Intellectuals - 50,000 kunas; the Women's League of Croatia - 93,000.00 kunas; Women's Action of Rijeka - 21,700.00 kunas; Network of Multicultural Assistance and O-ZONA - 140,000.00 kunas; LOBI - 60,000 kunas; B.a.B.e Group for Women's Rights - 117,844.00 kunas and the Krug Association of Business Women - 60,000.00 kunas.

The policy of co-financing NGO projects for implementing the Beijing Platform and advancing the status of women has permitted considerably wider activity than that of the Commission and National Policy alone. Therefore, such forms of cooperation should be further developed and fostered.

PART III - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM ACCORDING TO CRITICAL AREAS

National Policy and Measures Implemented

I.1. Human rights and gender equality

In order to advance and safeguard the human rights of women, and the right of women to enjoy them in the same manner and to the same extent as men, achieve equality and abolish discrimination in practice, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will enforce all the laws and international instruments in their entirety and undertake the following:

a) work actively toward the ratifying, joining and implementing of international and regional treaties on human rights, by examining all new proposed laws before they are introduced into procedure before the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia, and their compliance with the fundamental international instruments that regulate the question of equality between men and women.

Measure: All ministers will submit their proposals for new laws that could potentially affect the status of women in all areas of society to the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality

*From January 21 to 23, 1998, the members of the Commission presented their initial report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women at the UN in New York before the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women - CEDAW. The recommendations of the Committee were published in a special brochure to make them available to the public.

*The Commission reviewed the following law proposals: Penal Code, the Criminal Proceedings Act, the Social Welfare Act, the Retirement Insurance Act, the Breastfeeding Act, the Children's Allowance Act, the Government Statistics Act, Ammendments and Supplements Act, Health Insurance Act, Family Relations Act and Ammendments to the Penal Code Act.

Measure: Commission for the Issues of Equality issued a brochure on the Beijing Platfoms in 1998 in order to inform the public.

*The brochure entitled "Pekinška platforma i Nacionalna politika - djelovanja za promicanje jednakosti" [Beijing Platform and the National Policy - Activities for the Promotion of Equality] was printed in April 1998 and contains a summary of the Beijing Platform, National Policy and the Recommendations of the CEDAW.

b) To promote continuing education from the earliest age on human rights and the rights of women to nondiscriminatory treatment is a fundamental prerequisite for increasing the awareness of all citizens about human rights and the right of both sexes to enjoy them equally.

Measure: The Commission for Issues of Equality will hold a joint meeting with the National Committee for Education and Human Rights once a year in order to examine the educational programs from the aspect of attitudes toward women and gender equality, in compliance with the internationally accepted educational standards.

*The first meeting between the Commission and the National Committee for Education and Human Rights was held on March 6, 1998. It was concluded that the Commission and Committee would meet more frequently in the future and that the Committee would submit the Final Proposal for the Educational Program on Human Rights in Secondary Schools to the Commission for review before it is adopted.

*On May 25, 1999, the Commission was presented with the Draft of the National Educational Program on Human Rights. All the measures anticipated by the National Policy were implemented in the Draft.

c) To cooperate with the non-governmental organizations engaged in safeguarding human rights, particularly questions of sexual discrimination, in joint programs with such organizations by the Commission for Issues of Equality.

Measures: 1. The Commission for Issues of Equality will request all the non-governmental organizations engaged in protecting women's rights to appoint an Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from these NGOs, with whom the Commission will organize a meeting once a year, and more often as necessary, at which they will inform each other about their work and consider possibilities for collaboration.

*On February 5, 1998, the Secretariat of the Commission sent an official letter to the non-governmental organizations in which it invited them to establish the Advisory Committee to the Commission.

*At the meeting of the Commission held on April 28, 1998, it was decided that the Advisory Committee, according to the proposals of the non-governmental organizations, would consist of five representatives from the non-governmental organizations who will be present at the meetings of the Commission, and that the members of the Committee would change every six months. For the first six months (beginning June 1, 1998, the members of the Advisory Committee, according to the decision of the Commission, were as follows: 衭rda Kneževic (Ženska Infoteka), Lovorka Martinovic (TOD, Women's Group and Vita Ploce), Slavica Kušic (Center for Female Victims of the War, Women's Counseling Center and Kontra), Martina Belic (B.a.B.e.) and Melita Švob (Union of the Jewish Women of Croatia).

*At the meeting of the Commission held on December 11, 1998, the members of the Advisory Committee participated for the first time. It was agreed that the composition of the Committee would not be changed until the end of 1999.

2. The Commission for Issues of Equality will co-finance projects selected after soliciting for proposals that concern investigations of the problems anticipated by the National Policy.

*After a public solicitation of proposals, on March 31, 1999 the Commission signed contracts pledging financial support to five non-governmental organizations for the year 1999: (LOBI-Samobor - 20,000.00 kunas for the project Samobor Silk Flowers, Vojnic Women's Group - 20,000.00 kunas for the project Women and Violence, the Better Future Association of Rom Women of Croatia - 20,000.00 kunas for the Educational Project for Protection from Family Violence, TOD-Association for Study of the Transition to Democracy - 25,000.00 kunas for the project Women in Transition, and the Women's Group of the Center for 国产AV, Nonviolence and Human Rights of Osijek - 15,000.00 kunas for the project Women to Women).

I.2. Institutional Mechanisms for Improving the Status of Women

For the purpose of strengthening the status and activity of the Commission for Issues of Equality, including gender perspectives in legislation, public policy, programs, projects, the collection and publication of various types of data according to sex, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will undertake the following:

Secure funding for the work of the Commisison for

Issues of Equality of the Government of Croatia.

Measure: 1. In the Budget of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Finance is required each year to allocate sufficient funds for the work of the Commission for Issues of Equality of the Government of Croatia, according to the proposed annual plan of activity:

*for 1996, funds were allocated in the amount of 20,000.00 kunas

*for 1997, funds were allocated in the amount of 150,000.00 kunas

*for 1998, funds were allocated in the amount of 150,000.00 kunas

*for 1999, funds were allocated in the amount of 505,000.00 kunas

b) Promote the activities of the Government Commission for Issues of Equality through the media, inform the public about the work of the Commission

*During 1997 and 1998, all the meetings and events in connection with the Commission (Meeting: Presence of Women in the Political Life of the Republic of Croatia, Meeting: Together Against Violence to Women, publication of brochures etc.) were covered by the media (via a series of press conferences, television and radio promotions, and articles in weekly and daily publications).

*On October 15, 1998, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry commemorated the World Day of Rural Women via the mass media.

*On November 25, 1998, the president of the Commission met with representatives of three non-governmental organizations (the Center for Women War Victims, Autonomous Women's House and SOS Telephone Zagreb) to which she distributed financial support (30,000.00 kunas to each) for their activities in the area of the war against violence to women. The meeting was covered by the media.

*In August 1999, the Commission started with the activities for opening the web page for Croatian women on the Internet with links to the web sites of the Commission and all the non-governmental organizations that will participate in the project. The project will be entirely financed by the Office of the Government of Croatia for Non-governmental Organizations.

Measure: 1. Through the Alps-Adriatic program, in cooperation with Ženska Infoteka, information on the Commission will be included on the Internet and in a brochure entitled "Povezivanje žena Alpe Jadran u mrežu" [Linking the Women of the Alps-Adriatic on the Web].

"At a meeting of the Work Group for Women of Alps-Adriatic, September 30, 1998, the brochure "Povezivanje žena Alpe Jadran u mrežu" [Linking the Women of the Alps-Adriatic on the Web] was presented and the Commission was given 400 copies of the brochure in which the Republic of Croatia is represented with 46 women's organizations and associations.

"In early December 1998, the brochure "Povezivanje žena Alpe Jadran u mrežu" [Linking the Women of the Alps-Adriatic on the Web] was included on the InterNet. Steiermark-Server:

Alps-Adriatic homepage:

*The Commission together with the non-governmental organizations participated at a Fair for Women held in Linz on March 6, 1999. They collected promotional materials from approximately twenty non-governmental organizations engaged in the promotion of women's rights, in addition to the material from the Commission presented at the Fair. The Commission financed the visit to the Fair by three representatives of non-governmental organizations (TOD, Center for Women Victims of the War, Center for Civil Initiatives of Porec).

c) To promote the National Policy for the Promotion of Equality between Men

and Women in order to abolish obstacles for realizing women's rights and root out all forms of discrimination.

*The National Policy was sent to the non-governmental organizations, diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Croatia, unions, media, Croatian Parliament, political parties and embassies in the Republic of Croatia.

Measure: 1. The Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality will issue a brochure that contains the basic features of the National Policy.

*The National Policy for the Promotion of Equality was issued in April 1998.

d) To expand the mechanisms for safeguarding the rights of women and the struggle against discrimination through the judiciary system.

Measure: 1. The ombudsman, within the framework of the protection provided, will consider the possibilities for the special safeguarding of women's rights, particularly in all areas of discrimination.

*The National Policy was delivered to the Office of the Ombudsman.

e) To begin a broad educational program on questions of equality for all officials, civil servants and employees at all levels.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Public Administration, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, will organize a broad educational program on women's rights for all the employees of government administrative agencies within a period of two years.

*It has been agreed that the agency authorized to establish the programs for the government vocational examinations will introduce international documents on the human rights of women into these programs and compulsory literature and test material.

f) To work on changing gender perspectives in all laws and policies.

Measure: 1. Within a period of two years, all the ministries will re-examine the laws, bylaws, work directives and national programs under their supervision from the viewpoint of gender equality and the National Policy for the Promotion of Gender Equality.

*Implementation is in progress. Until now, changes have been proposed in the Penal Code and Criminal Proceedings Act.

g) To assure that the statistical data on individuals that are collected, compiled, analyzed and presented according to sex and age express the problems and questions connected with women and men in society.

Measure: 1. In cooperation with Ženska Infoteka, the Center for Women's Studies, and the Government Bureau of Statistics, starting in 1999 a publication will be regularly issued that will contain statistical data on the status of women in all areas of society.

*The first meeting of the work group for statistics (Mrs. Biljana Kašic, Dr. Smiljana Leinert Novesel, Dr. Jasna Omejec, Ms. 衭rda Kneževic and Ms. Silva Mežnaric) was held on April 17, 1998.

On September 4, 1998, it was agreed that the brochure would be issued during 1999. Most of the data were collected from the ministries and other agencies by October 1, 1998.

*In December 1998, it was agreed to seek financial support from international organizations for a project to improve the system for collecting statistical data on the status of women.

2. The government administrative agency in charge of collecting and publishing statistical data will change the manner of recording data so that they will be recorded according to sex.

*All the agencies of Government administration have been sent an official letter informing them about this measure.

I.3. Women in positions of power and decision making

For the purpose of assuring the equal treatment of women and their complete participation in the structures of power and decision-making, and increasing the ability of women to participate in decision-making and management, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will undertake the following:

a) In the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia, in the Government Administration and Judiciary System, the equal representation of women will be promoted as well as their parity in the structures of power and decision making.

Measure: 1. The Commission of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality, in cooperation with the political parties, non-governmental organizations, social partners and the Council of Europe, will organize a discussion on the presence of women in the political life of the Republic of Croatia before the end of 1998.

*On November 2 and 3, 1998, in the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, a meeting entitled the Presence of Women in the Political Life of the Republic of Croatia was held. The meeting was divided into three thematic entities: Women's Politics or Politics for Women, The Economic Power(lessness) of Women, and Cultural Traits of Behavior. There were approximately 20 introductory speakers at the meeting (including Mrs. Katica Ivaniševic, Mrs. Jadranka Kosor, Mrs. Želka Antunovic, Mrs. 衭rda Kneževic, Mrs. Dunja Pastizzi Ferencic, Mrs. Slavica Singer, Mrs. Sanja Crnkovic Pozaic� Mrs. Smiljana Leinert Novosel, Mrs. Sanja Sarnavka, Mrs. Morana Palikovic Gruden, Mr. Jure Zovko and Mr. Aleksandar Štulhofer) and 120 participants.

*In April 1999, a brochure entitled Zastupljenost žena u politickom životu Republike Hrvatske [The Presence of Women in the Political Life of the Republic of Croatia] was issued that contains the introductory presentations and conclusions from the meeting. It was sent to all the non-governmental organizations, the members of the Commission, all the committees of the Croatian Parliament and parliamentary political parties, libraries and distinguished individuals. The brochure was presented at the Second Congress for Women in Rovinj on May 14, 1999 and at a seminar, Politics - A Challenge to Women, in Lovran on May 14, 1999.

2. All the government agencies will be required to include in the text of the public announcement of every job opening a sentence that encourages women to apply, and the Commission of the Republic of Croatia will propose the same to the Croatian Parliament.

After the adoption of the National Policy, it was established that the measure was not adequate to achieve the desired goal. According to data from the Ministry of Public Administration, women comprise 55.47% of the employees in the Government administration (not counting the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior). Women comprise only 6.91% of the employees of the Ministry of Defense and 7.05% of the employees in the Command Headquarters of the Croatian Army. Women are not sufficiently present in positions that are filled by appointments or competition among applicants, and the measure should be corrected.

3. For the purpose of removing the cause of the inadequate presence of women in political life, the Commission will financially support a project by Ženska Infoteka entitled A Study of the Reasons for the Inadequate Presence of Women in the Political Life of Croatia.

* Funds have not been allocated for the implementation of this project.

b) Via the Commission, to monitor and assess the advancement in the presence of women by the regular collection, analysis and publication of quantitative and qualitative data on men and women at all levels and in various positions.

*Data is collected sporadically and it is necessary to work further on these measures through the Work Group for Statistics.

Measure: 1. Every year, the Commission will publish data in the media about men and women employed in the Government administration of the Republic of Croatia on all levels.

*The Ministry of Public Administration regularly submits said data to the Commission. The Work Group for Statistics will process them.

c) To promote and support the participation by women in international

conferences and preparations for these conferences, and to support parity of men and women in the composition of delegations to international organizations.

Measure: 1. All ministries at the time of making proposals, and the Government of the Republic of Croatia at the time of appointing members of delegations and representatives to international bodies, are required to take into account a balanced representation of men and women.

*This measure is being implemented. At the international level in the delegations of the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the levels below ministers, women even prevail. However, the data are not collected systematically, which must be remedied.

I.4. Women and health

In order to increase women's access throughout their lives to suitable and quality health care, information and related services, promote preventive programs for improving women's health, undertake sensitive initiatives regarding sexuality that address the problems of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS as well as sexual and reproductive health, promote research and the spreading of information about women's health, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will undertake the following:

a) To reaffirm the right to the highest standard of physical and mental health for women and girls

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Health will attempt through laws and bylaws to establish the responsibility of primary health care physicians (general practitioners, dentists, gynecologists and obstetricians) to safeguard the health of insured persons, particularly women, by requiring them to schedule preventive examinations for those insured persons who have not contacted their primary health care physicians during the period of one year.

2. The Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children and the College of Dentistry in Zagreb will publish two booklets intended for expectant and new mothers within the framework of a program entitled Dental Care for Expectant Mothers, New Mothers and Infants. These booklets will be distributed free of charge in order to educate women about dental care for themselves and their children.

*The Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children began implementing the project Dental Care for Expectant Mothers, New Mothers and Infants during the first trimester of 1998, which in cooperation with the College of Dentistry in Rijeka is covering the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia. The methodology has been selected for the distribution of booklets. Bids were collected from those who would implement the project and the best was selected by a commission. A contract has been made for implementing the project and the entire project will cost 250,000 kunas. The first booklet, on pregnant women and teeth, has been printed.

*March 1998 - The Ministry of Health prepared the Program of Preventive Measures in Dental Care, with the goal of protecting and promoting health and the prevention and treatment of diseases of the mouth, teeth, periodontal tissue and jaw. The operative goals of this program are protecting and promoting the health of the mouth and teeth, and making possible the normal development of this system in pregnant women, preschool children, schoolchildren, teenagers and adults. The special goals of this program include improving health education and improving the biological prevention of dental caries, and to achieve the introduction of compulsory dental examinations for specific groups, especially pregnant women, preschool children, schoolchildren and teenagers.

*In April 1999, the second booklet (Mljecni zubi [Baby Teeth]) was printed, and was sent to the heads of the county offices for public health and distributed with their cooperation - via counseling services for expectant mothers, visiting nurses and well-baby dispensaries.

*In December 1998, the Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children in cooperation with the College of Dentistry in Zagreb published two booklets intended for expectant and new mothers, in order to educate them about dental care for themselves and their children.

3. During 1998, the Ministry of Health began the additional training of its medical personnel engaged in primary and secondary health care in the field of gynecology in order to make them more sensitive to the particular needs of women.

*The Ministry of Health, through cooperation with the Croatian Society of Medical Nurses, regularly organizes educational health courses within the framework of primary health care, particularly courses for pregnant women organized by the visiting services at the health centers. In Zagreb, a gynecological clinic was opened that was adapted to the needs of handicapped women.

*In September 1999, due to an insufficient number of specialists engaged in cyto-diagnostics, which is one of the reasons why it has not been possible to detect gynecological carcinoma in the early stages through check-ups, the Ministry of Health prepared a program for the education of cyto-technicians that was submitted to the Ministry of Science and Technology for approval.

d) To devote particular attention to the needs of girls, particularly promoting healthful behavior, inclusion in physical activities.

Measure: 1. In 1998, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Sport, in cooperation with UNICEF through a project entitled European Network of Health Promoting Schools, worked on the development and implementation of current educational methods in improving overall life in the school atmosphere, with particular emphasis on nutrition, physical activities and improved communication. It will print a manual intended for schoolchildren, teachers and parents, entitled "Siguran korak i pravo na zrak" [A Confident Step and the Right to Air], which will be sent to all the elementary schools.

*The Ministry of Education and Sport, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, delivered the manual "Siguran korak i pravo na zrak" [A Confident Step and the Right to Air] to all the elementary schools in February 1998, that was part of a school project promoting health.

*The Ministry of Health has printed an educational packet intended for teachers, school physicians and parents, entitled "Siguran korak i pravo na zrak" [A Confident Step and the Right to Air], that was promoted on February 13 at the Dr. Andrija Štampar School of Public Health. The packet consists of an educational game, slides, manual with instructions and articles on the hazards of smoking and alcohol, workshops for activities with young persons and adults, proposals for visual presentations in the program, and a questionnaire to monitor the program. One thousand five hundred copies of the book were printed.

*The Ministry of Health, in accordance with the conclusions of the International Conference on Nutrition, has issued a document entitled "Hrvatska prehrambena politika" [Croatian Nutritional Policy].

c) To promote a reduction in the mortality rate of newborns and small children.

Measure: 1. In accordance with the program Health for All by 2005, activities will be implemented in order to achieve the goal of reducing the mortality of newborns and young children to 7 per 1,000.

*March 1998 - The Croatian Bureau of Health Insurance acquired funds through the World Bank for the necessary equipment and personnel. Equipment was purchased on the basis of previously collected information and included the necessary number of incubators (fixed and mobile) and cardiac monitors for the intensive care units of all the maternity hospitals in the territory of the Republic of Croatia.

*In order to obtain the necessary number of specialists in gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics, the Croatian Bureau of Health Insurance held a competition and selected fourteen candidates who will specialize in gynecology and obstetrics, and three who will specialize in pediatrics. These candidates will work in the following health centers: Drniš, Umag, Donji Miholjac, Slatina, Križevci, Našice, Sisak, Valpovo, Gospic, Nova Gradiška, Knin, Vukovar, Vinkovci and Slunj. The doctors specializing in pediatrics will work in the following general hospitals: Pakrac, Knin and Dubrovnik.

*In 1996, the mortality rate for newborns was 8.0 per 1,000 life births, and in 1998 8.23 per 1,000.

d) To assure that girls have continuous access to the necessary information and services for health care and nutrition during the period of their maturation, in order to promote a healthful transition from childhood to maturity.

Measure: 1. Within the framework of the first Croatian project - subproject Promoting Health, the Ministry of Health and the Croatian Bureau of Health Insurance, for the purpose of promoting healthful habits (correct nutrition, nonsmoking, regular physical activities and responsible sexual behavior) will prepare suitable materials for health education (posters, leaflets, brochures), promote them via the mass media and educate personnel in the public health facilities, primary care and educational institutions.

*March 1998 - The implementation of the subproject Promoting Health has begun. On Croatian state television, "Telopi" appear who offer messages about nutritious food and the dangers of smoking. At the same time, the Ministry of Health has initiated activities in the daily press - every Monday in Vecernji list, Novi list, Glas Slavonije and Slobodna Dalmacija - questions and answers appear on the last page intended for health education, i.e. promoting awareness of a healthful way of life and nutritious food with the goal of improving and maintaining health.

2. The project Safeguarding the Reproductive Health of Female College Students, including testing for infectious Chlamydia trachomatis and educating female, students about sexuality and identifying dangerous behavior. This project is implemented by the Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children through the work of the Student Health Center in Zagreb until the end of 1999. It will be expanded to all the university centers in Croatia.

*March 1998 - The project was conceived at the Student Health Center in Zagreb (Dr. Džepina, Dr. Topalovic, Dr. Jankovic) and motivated by the disturbing health findings concerning the sexual activities of the students of the University of Zagreb. The project includes two phases: testing for Chlamydia trachomatis among sexually active female college students and educating the students of both sexes about sexual behavior and identifying dangerous behavior. The intention of the Government Bureau is to expand this project and it will assist the other university centers (Rijeka, Osijek and Split) financially. The Student Health Center in Zagreb has begun the diagnostic part of the project (infectious Chlamydia) and in cooperation with the Government Bureau has prepared a questionnaire for collecting data on the sexual habits of students and their general level of knowledge about sexual health.

*December 1998 - The Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children is implementing the project Safeguarding the Reproductive Health of Female College Students. Investigations during the 1997/98 academic year resulted in data collected from 650 first-year female college students (the age that sexual activity began among the students in the study was between 17 and 19; 62% had been in a sexual relationship that in 49.3% of the cases had lasted longer than one year; 61.7% of the sexually active students used condoms for contraception, 12.2% used hormonal oral contraceptives, 5.5% employed coitus interruptus in addition to condoms, and 5.8% used no contraceptive measures whatsoever). Six hundred male and female first-year college students received sexual education in the form of lectures.

*September 14, 1999 - A round table discussion was held at which the investigations by Aleksandar Štulhofer, M.D., Ph.D., Vesna Jureš, M.D., Ph.D. and Maja Mamula, B.S. in Psychology, were presented under the title Longitudinal Monitoring of the Knowledge of Sexuality, Sexual Behavior and the Relevant Attitudes of Adolescents. There was interdisciplinary exchange of experiences in connection with adolescent sexuality. The investigation was financed and the round table organized by the Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children, with the goal of considering ideas for the systematic sexual education of adolescents.

e) Promoting public awareness of the advantages of breastfeeding

Measure: 1. Via a project promoting breastfeeding in cooperation with UNICEF, the Ministry of Health will make the public better informed about the advantages of breastfeeding; investigate the manner and means for the full implementation of the WHO/UNICEF International Code of the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, and make it possible for mothers to breastfeed their children by providing legal, economic, practical and emotional support.

*March 1998 - Regular publication of the bulletin "Dojenje" [Nursing] continued, and a certain number of general hospitals were included in a project to promote breastfeeding by keeping the baby in the same room with the mother.

*October 1998 - The Ministry of Health prepared and issued a publication entitled "Sretna beba" [Happy Baby], that promotes breastfeeding and is a part of the packet given to new mothers before they are discharged from the hospital. The packet also includes basic supplies for newborns (diapers, baby food samples etc.).

*May 1999 - At the Ministry of Health, a draft was prepared of the Promotion and Protection of Breastfeeding Act that was sent to the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

f) To prepare and spread information via public health drives, the media, reliable counseling centers and the educational system with the goal of making it possible for women and men, especially young people, to acquire knowledge about health, particularly information about sexuality and reproduction.

Measure: 1. The Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children and the Bureau of Human Reproduction of the Clinic for Women's Diseases and Childbirth will hold two-day seminars four times annually as part of the project Educating the Educator, on the subjects of parenthood, population policy, families, and the education of young people, for the purpose of training teachers and educators who work in elementary or secondary schools. Review books will be issued that will be distributed to the students at elementary and secondary schools with the assistance of the Ministry of Education and Sports.

*March 1998 - The project is in the initial phase. A group of lecturers has been assembled and an interdisciplinary program has been designated. The cooperation, opinion and permission of the Ministry of Education and Sport will be necessary in order to implement the project because it concerns the beginning of the systematic training of educators in elementary and secondary schools. On February 25, 1998, the Ministry of Education and Sport issued permission to implement the project The Sexual Education of the Adolescent, that will be initially carried out in seven secondary schools and five elementary schools in the Republic of Croatia. A report on the implementation of the project will be sent to the College of Medicine in Zagreb.

*December 1998 - The project Educating the Educator has been implemented in cooperation with the Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children and the Bureau of Human Reproduction of the Clinic for Women's Diseases. In 1998, four two-day interdisciplinary seminars were held on parenthood, population policy, families and the education of young people for the purpose of training teachers and educators who work in elementary or secondary schools.

g) To take the specific problems of young people into account and implement suitable specific programs such as education about sexual and reproductive questions concerning sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, bearing in mind the rights of the child and the rights and duties of parents.

Measure: 1. The Commission for AIDS that is under the auspices of the Ministry of Health will continue with the process of informing the public about the prevention and war against AIDS via television spots, billboards and brochures, as well as the commemoration of War Against AIDS Day.

*March 1998 - The measure is being continuously implemented. The Commission for Aids of the Ministry of Health has issued a program of activities that, besides constant television spots, includes the distribution of booklets entitled "AIDS - nemojte umrijeti zbog neznanja" [AIDS - Don't Die of Ignorance]. Seven thousand copies of the booklet have been printed. Brochures are also being prepared for health personnel (10,000 copies) and those with HIV/AIDS (3,000 copies).

2. The Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Sports will distribute a booklet on the problems of addiction and the phenomenon of AIDS in all the schools in the Republic of Croatia.

*March 1998 - The Ministry of Education and Sports in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Service for Reproductive Health, has distributed the brochure "AIDS - nemojte umrijeti zbog neznanja" [AIDS - Don't Die of Ignorance] in all the elementary and secondary schools.

3. The Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Sports, within the framework of activities connected with the disease of addiction, will expand the organization of lectures about the connection between the problem of addiction and the phenomenon of AIDS in all the schools in the Republic of Croatia.

*March 12, 1998 - Within the framework of activities connected with addiction and the war against AIDS, in March 1998 the Ministry of Education and Sports informed all schools in the Republic of Croatia and entrusted professional colleagues with the task of drawing greater attention to the problem of addiction among young people and the organization of lectures and forums for young people.

h) To establish and/or strengthen programs and services, including media campaigns, directed at the prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer of the breast, uterus and other types of cancer of the reproductive system.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Croatian League Against Cancer will continue in 1998 with educating the population, especially women, about the prevention and early detection of frequently occurring forms of malignancy such as cancer of the breast, cervix, ovaries, uterus and lungs. For this purpose, in cooperation with the publisher Globus, six brochures about individual diseases will be published and sent to all the health institutions in the Republic of Croatia.

*The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Croatian League Against Cancer, continued educating the population, especially women, about the prevention and early detection of frequently occurring forms of malignancy. Manuals for women published by Globus continued to be issued including "Samozaštita od raka dojke" [Self Defense from Breast Cancer], and a manual for men and women entitled "Kako sprijeciti rak" [How to Prevent Cancer]. In addition to the manuals, several educational leaflets are also being printed and distributed (Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Pap Smear) in order to acquaint women with these diseases and the techniques of self-examination in order to detect the early warning signs.

2. The Government Bureau for the Welfare of Families, Mothers and Children, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, through the project Breast Self-Examination, will print and distribute an educational leaflet via daily and weekly press and health centers, and via educational television programs will educate women on the simple techniques of self-examination.

*March 1998 - The project is in the initial phase and will be implemented in cooperation with the Forum Europa Donna of the Croatian League Against Cancer, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health. The Government Bureau will finance the printing of educational cards with information on breast self-examination and their distribution via the media and health centers. It will also purchase Breast Awareness Teaching Aids (model breasts for teaching examination and recognition of the symptoms of malignant disease) and give them to health centers throughout Croatia where the education of women will be conducted. It will coordinate the entire activity. From the Forum Europa Donna, it is anticipated that its volunteer members will organize lectures with the goal of increasing awareness and educating women in companies with a large percentage of female employees. Its member physicians will also conduct educational programs in the health care centers throughout the Republic of Croatia. From the Ministry of Health, it is anticipated that it will distribute part of the material via medical professionals (physicians and nurses), permit seminars to be held in its facilities (health care centers) and actively participate in the implementation of the educational program. Up to now, bids have been collected for purchasing the Breast Awareness Teaching Aid. In cooperation with the Forum Europa Donna of the Croatian League Against Cancer, it will be decided how many of these aids to purchase and the addresses to which they will be delivered (and where the seminars will be conducted). The Croatian League Against Cancer will prepare the program for the seminars, to be approved by the Ministry of Health, and implement them.

*The project in its entirety will be implemented with all the previously cited measures.

i) To increase the number of women in administrative positions in the health professions, including women researchers and scientists

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Health will submit reports to the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality at the end of every calendar year on promotions and competitions for administrative positions in health institutions, with particular attention to the ratio of the number of women to men who were promoted or placed in administrative positions.

*Regarding the stated measure, the Ministry of Health reported that, in accordance with Article 53 of the Health Care Act in which the mandate of an administrator is stipulated as four years, complete data on the appointment of women to administrative positions will not be submitted until the end of 1999, after the expiration of the mandates of the previous appointees.

I.5. The education and professional qualification of women

The Government of the Republic of Croatia will devote particular attention to gender equality in continuing education in the educational system and for this purpose will undertake the following:

a) To develop a program for the systematic study of gender equality in the educational system and professional qualification

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Education and Sport within a period of three years will prepare a new educational program, manuals and didactic materials that will promote gender equality and will, in cooperation with publishers, teachers and parents' organizations promote their implementation in the educational system.

*March 1998 - The Board for Programming, Textbooks and Development of the Ministry of Education and Sports has initiated the development of a program for the systematic monitoring of gender equality in the educational system and professional qualification, and has begun work on the preparation of the suitable manuals and didactic materials.

2. Within a period of one year, the Ministry of Education and Sports will begin training teachers about human rights, with particular emphasis on discrimination.

*March 1998 - The Ministry of Education and Sports, with the assistance of UNICEF, has established a work group for the promotion of human rights among school children and teachers.

*The Office of the Advancement of Education of the Ministry of Education and Sport has introduced a program on the area of human rights among the regular and compulsory professional qualification programs for the professional qualification of teachers in the Catalogue of Professional Groups, that is prepared and published for all elementary and secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia. The number of seminars and workshops after the adoption of the National Program of Education for Human Rights will significantly increase in the academic year 1999/2000.

b) To develop educational programs on human rights at all educational levels, particularly at institutions of higher education, especially in the undergraduate and postgraduate curricula of law, social studies and political science, and to include the study of the human rights of women and how these rights are established by the conventions of the United Nation.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Science, with advice from the National Committee for Human Rights Education and the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality, will organize lectures on gender equality and the principle of equality in the organization of family life within the framework of human rights education.

*A joint meeting of the National Committee for Human Rights Education and the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality was held on March 6, 1998. It was concluded that the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality and the National Committee for Human Rights Education would meet more often in the future and that the National Committee would submit to the Commission the Final Proposal for the Human Rights Educational Program in Secondary Schools before it would be proposed for adoption.

*The Draft of the Human Rights Educational Program in Secondary Schools was submitted to the Commission on May 25, 1999.

*March 1999 - For the purpose of implementing the measures at institutions of higher education, the Ministry of Science and Technology sent an official letter to the rectors of the universities in the Republic of Croatia and requested them to organize seminars or expand the program of individual subjects so that male and female students would receive additional instruction about gender equality, women's rights and the principle of gender equality in the organization of family life.

*At the College of Law in Split, instruction in gender equality has been part of the curriculum for several years.

2. The Ministry of Education and Sport will introduce citizenship instruction into the curriculum through which children will be able to develop good cultural habits in society.

*Initial citizenship instruction has been offered for two years in 150 elementary and secondary schools. Eleven regional coordinators have been selected for training teachers. The Board for Programming of the Ministry of Education and Sports has prepared a booklet for homeroom use in elementary and secondary schools about citizenship instruction.

*In June 1999, the first meeting of schoolchildren on the national level in the area of citizenship was held. One hundred and fifty schoolchildren, their teachers and principals from twelve schools (nine elementary and three secondary) participated.

*The Office of Schools of the Ministry of Education and Sports prepared and published a new Curriculum and Program for Elementary Schools on June 1, 1999, in which there is special attention to human rights and democratic citizenship instruction, based on the National Program for Human Rights Education. In the new Curriculum and Program for Elementary Schools, the programs of human rights and democratic citizenship instruction can be elective subjects, outside activities or interdisciplinary through all the subjects.

c) To increase the number of women in administrative positions in education and other segments of educational/instructional activity

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Education and Sports in cooperation with the Elementary and Secondary School Principals' Association and unions will establish measures for achieving more suitable representation of women in administrative positions within a period of two years, and will inform the Commission thereof.

*At meetings of the Elementary and Secondary School Principals' Association, there was discussion on more suitable representation of women in administrative positions. However, the statistical indices are the same as for 1997.

2. The Ministry of Education and Sport will regularly inform the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues on Equality on the appointment of women and men to administrative positions in educational institutions.

*Up to the present, the Ministry has not informed the Commission.

d) To educate women to assume administrative positions and motivate females to assume administrative functions as schoolchildren and college students, thereby preparing them to assume such functions as adults in society.

Measure: 1. The Commission of the Republic of Croatia for Issues on Equality in cooperation with the Center for Women's Studies, and with the assistance of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Science and the Croatian universities, will organize public lectures and forums on the inclusion of women in the society.

*October 1999 - The Center for Women's studies will begin implementing these measures, with financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology in the amount of 32,000.00 kunas. Public forums and lectures on including women in society will be held at Croatian universities (eight lectures and forums at the University of Zagreb, and six at the Universities of Rijeka, Split, Osijek and Zadar).

e) To develop suitable educational and informative programs, taking into account the role of language in the development of an awareness of gender equality.

Measure: The Ministry of Education and Sports will issue directives on the correct implementation of language in schools so that masculine nouns will no longer be used as general designations in schools for both sexes.

*June 1998 - The Ministry of Education and Sports sent directives that obligated all schools to use the correct designations for both sexes. In May 1998, a group of linguists determined the precise terms for teachers to use. [Translators note: Croatian has both masculine and feminine nouns for teachers, students etc. instead of neuter nouns as used in English. In the Croatian original of this text, when referring to male and female teachers, students, administrators, participants etc., both the masculine and feminine nouns are used, although it is customary to use the masculine noun when referring to mixed groups.]

I.6. Violence against women

The Government of the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of preventing and eliminating violence against women, especially violence within the family, will study the causes and consequences of violence against women and the effectiveness of preventive measures to abolish the illegal traffic in women and assist the victims of violence due to prostitution and illegal trafficking, and will undertake the following:

a) To reexamine and analyze the laws periodically in order to assure their effectiveness in eliminating violence against women, placing emphasis on preventing violence and the prosecution of perpetrators.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Justice shall examine the possibility of amending Article 174, Paragraph 3 of the Penal Code within a period of three months from the day this Policy is adopted in such a manner that the word "sex" would be inserted in the description of the criminal act of racial and other discrimination.

*The Ministry of Justice has found that "the proposal to change Article 129 of the Penal Code in such a manner that the word 'sex' would be inserted in the description of the criminal act of racial and other discrimination" is not urgent. The stipulations of Article 174 of the new Penal Code that concern racial and other discrimination already contain the element of discrimination on the basis of sex, as stated in the National Policy. The Ministry will re-examine its position because the measure refers to the third paragraph of Article 174 that does not include sexual discrimination in the description of a qualified criminal act.

*July 1999 - A group of women parliamentarians submitted a Proposal for the Amendment of the Penal Code which the Commission supported. The Commission supported an amendment to Article 102, Paragraph 2, that provides for the initiation of criminal proceedings for the criminal act of inflicting serious bodily injury, bodily injury in a fit of passion, and bodily injury due to negligence if the perpetrator is living in a marital or common-law relationship with the person against whom the criminal act is perpetrated, or if the perpetrator is a direct blood relative, brother or sister, adoptive mother or adoptive father. The proposal also provides for criminal proceedings for the crime of rape if the perpetrator is living in a marital relation with the person against whom the crime was committed. This proposal was also supported by the Ministry of Justice. In the procedure of amending the Penal Code, the Commission recommended that the Government of Croatia should consider several other changes that would significantly affect the status of women and make the war against violence to women more effective. The Commission pointed out that according to Article 189, "sexual intercourse with a helpless person," receives a punishment that is less severe than for the act of rape, Article 191, Paragraph 1.

2. The Ministry of Justice will examine the possibilities of amending Article 90 of the Criminal Proceedings Act to emphasize clearly that the precautionary measure of forbidding contact with certain persons can also apply to a marital or common-law female partner, insofar as the accused is a male marital or common-law partner who has committed violence against her.

*In the implementation of this measure, the opinions of the experts are still not in agreement.

b) To secure suitable accommodations and assistance for girls and women subjected to violence, including medical, psychological and other counseling services, and free or inexpensive legal assistance whenever necessary, as well as providing them with a suitable means of support

Measure: 1. Within the period of one year, the Ministry of Finance will investigate the possibility of allocating suitable funds from the Government Budget for activities involving the abolition of violence to women, according to the proposals that the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare are required to prepare.

*The Ministry of Finance has allocated funds from the Government Budget for the implementation of these measures for all the ministries and government bodies that requested them.

c) To support the initiatives of women's organizations and non-governmental organizations for the purpose of abolishing violence to women and distributing information about the assistance available to them

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare will formulate a program for the assistance of women victims of violence within a period of six months, and centers for social welfare together with non-governmental organizations will begin implementation, which will include inviting women through the daily press to take advantage of such assistance.

*The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare organized a symposium in Zadar from October 28 to 30, 1998, on the topic of Violence in the Family, at which non-governmental organizations participated. The topic of Violence in Partner Relations was discussed as a separate area.

*June 23 and 24, 1999 - A meeting was held at the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare entitled Together Against Violence to Women, organized by the Commission and the Council of Europe. Approximately 120 participants were present. Introductory remarks on each of the topics (Causes of Violence to Women, Experience in the War Against Violence to Women, and Preventive Action) were presented by Croatian and European experts.

d) To collect data and assemble a statistical survey, particularly on violence in the family in connection with various forms of violence to women, and to instigate investigations into the causes, nature, gravity and consequences of violence to women, and on the effectiveness of the measures implemented to prevent and solve the problem of violence to women

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Interior Affairs and the Ministry of Justice will report to the Commission every year on the data from their areas of activity related to violence in the family, particularly to women, on the basis of which the Commission will decide upon the implementation of measures.

March 1998 - According to data from the Ministry of Justice, in 1997 eighty-five persons were reported for the criminal act of rape from Article 79, Paragraph 1, of whom thirty-seven were prosecuted and twenty-seven were convicted. Of the twenty-seven convicted, twenty received prison sentences and seven received suspended sentences. For the qualified form of this act from Paragraph 2, Article 79, twenty-two persons were reported, thirteen were prosecuted, and ten were convicted. All ten persons received prison sentences. For the criminal act of sexual intercourse with a helpless person from Article 80, Paragraph 1, five persons were reported, two were convicted, of whom one received a suspended sentence and the other was not sentenced. For the criminal act of coercion to perform sexual intercourse from Article 81, two persons were reported and both received prison sentences. For the criminal lascivious acts from Article 85, Paragraph 1, forty-nine persons were reported, forty were prosecuted and thirty-four were convicted, of whom sixteen received prison sentences and eighteen received suspended sentences. For the serious form of the act from Paragraph 2, three persons were reported, two were prosecuted and only one received a prison sentence. For Paragraph 3 (the more serious form that exists if the act from Paragraphs 1 and 2 is perpetrated in an especially cruel and humiliating manner), four persons were reported, four were prosecuted, and three were sentenced to prison. For the criminal act of procuring from Article 87, Paragraph 1, two persons were reported, and one was prosecuted and sentenced to prison. For the more serious form of this crime from Paragraph 2, four persons were reported but none were prosecuted. For the criminal act of participating as an intermediary in prostitution from Article 205 of the Basic Penal Code of the Republic of Croatia, Paragraph 1, three persons were reported, three were prosecuted and one received a suspended sentence. For the more serious form from Paragraph 2, three persons were reported, and one was prosecuted and sentenced to prison.

*September 1999 - In 1998, according to a report from the Government Bureau of Statistics, for the criminal act of rape from Article 188, Paragraph 1, ninety-seven persons were reported, thirty-four were prosecuted and twenty-eight were convicted. Of these twenty-eight, twenty-four were sentenced to prison, three received a suspended sentence and one was sent to a juvenile correctional institution. For the qualified form of this crime, nineteen persons were reported, two were prosecuted and one was sentenced to prison. For the crime of coercion to perform sexual intercourse from Article 190, three persons were reported, one was prosecuted and sentenced to prison. For the criminal act of sexual intercourse with a helpless person from Article 189, Paragraph 1, eight persons were reported, three were prosecuted and two were convicted and sentenced to prison. For the criminal act of the abuse of position in coercion to perform sexual intercourse from Article 191, one person was reported but not prosecuted. For the criminal lascivious acts from Article 193 of the Penal Code, seventy-nine persons were reported, forty-six were prosecuted and twenty-seven were convicted, of whom nineteen were sentenced to prison and eight received suspended sentences. For the criminal act of procuring from Article 195, Paragraph 1, eleven persons were reported, nine were prosecuted and two were convicted and sentenced to prison. For the qualified form of this crime from Paragraph 2, two persons were reported, convicted and received suspended sentences. For the qualified form of this crime from Paragraphs 3 and 4, one person was reported for each of the forms but neither was prosecuted nor sentenced. For the criminal act of international prostitution from Article 178, Paragraph 1, five persons were reported, four were prosecuted but none convicted. For the qualified form of this crime from Paragraph 2, three persons were reported but none prosecuted or sentenced. For the qualified form of this crime from Paragraph 3, two persons were reported, two were prosecuted, and one was convicted and sentenced to prison.

e) To strengthen international cooperation in order to uncover and prevent organized and other forms of traffic in women and children, including traffic for the purpose of sexual exploitation, pornography, prostitution and sexual tourism, as well as international cooperation in the pursuit and punishment of those responsible for the organized exploitation of women and children.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will report on international activities via the mass media regarding the war against violence to women.

*According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, during 1998 four criminal acts were reported involving international prostitution, in which there were five perpetrators and five adult victims. All the cases concerned foreign women who had been brought to the Republic of Croatia under false pretenses. In addition to international prostitution, during 1998 eighteen crimes of procurement by sixteen perpetrators were reported who inflicted harm upon twenty-six persons, two of whom were juveniles. In 1998, two crimes of slavery were reported as well as the transport of slaves by three perpetrators who inflicted harm upon two adult persons. Also during 1998, one criminal act of the exploitation of children and minor persons for pornography by two perpetrators who inflicted harm upon two minor persons was reported, as well as nine criminal acts of exposing children to pornography committed by nine perpetrators upon sixteen minor persons. In accordance with Measures I.6.e.1., the Ministry of Internal Affairs systematically informed the public through press conferences from police stations about these cases of various forms of violence against women.

*Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented data on the status, trends and several forms of recorded violence to women in the Republic of Croatia from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1998, at a meeting entitled Together Against Violence to Women, held on June 23 and 24, 1999.

2. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will widely distribute promotional material from INTERPOL for the purpose of protecting women and children who are victims of violence and sexual exploitation.

*As of September 1999, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not received any type of promotional material in connection with the protection of women and children victims of violence and sexual exploitation from INTERPOL or any other international organization. Therefore, it contacted the Main Secretariat of INTERPOL in Lyon. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will use such material as soon as it receives it for the purpose of increasing public sensitivity.

f) To promote the condemnation of violence to women through the media.

Measure: 1. The Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia will commemorate the War Against Violence Day with appropriate television spots.

November 23-25, 1998 and 1999 - Spots will be broadcast on television and radio. In 1999, the Campaign of the War Against Violence in the Family began with the spot Let's Stop Violence.

I.7. Women and the economy

For the purpose of promoting the economic rights and independence of women, including access to employment, suitable working conditions, control of economic resources and promoting coordination between professional and family duties for women and men, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will undertake the following:

a) Through collective negotiations, taking account of the proportional representation of women in negotiating teams and through mandatory inspection supervision, to implement the legislation that guarantees women and men equal pay for equal work of equal worth systematically.

Measure: 1. In cooperation with the women's sections of the union headquarters, within a period of three years to investigate if there is equal pay for equal work according to the national classification of professions.

*The International Labor Organization prepared a National Program for implementing this measure within the framework of the global program More and Better Jobs for All. Financing has been allocated for the implementation of the project.

2. The inspection agencies responsible for supervising the implementation of the regulations concerning work and work safety are required in every report during the course of their regular inspections to investigate whether the principle of equal pay for equal work of equal worth is being applied.

*The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare emphasized the importance of implementing this measure in an official correspondence sent to the Government Bureau of Inspection.

b) To undertake the suitable measures in connection with women's rights in employment and work and collect data on the status of women in the work process.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, in cooperation with labor unions, will issue a brochure before the end of 1998 on the rights of women at work, that will be distributed via union officials.

*The work group for publishing the brochure on the rights of women at work has been formed.

2. In order to encourage women to exercise their rights at work, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare will provide free counseling and assistance to women once a month concerning legal questions in connection with the problems of employment and work. A semiannual report on this activity will be prepared and submitted to the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

*Counseling is provided every first Friday of the month but the response by women is unsatisfactory.

3. The inspection agencies responsible for supervising the implementation of the regulations concerning work and work safety are required in every supervisory inspection to establish the conditions under which women work for the employer they are investigating and make a special report in the record of the inspection performed and regular annual reports

*The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare emphasized the importance of implementing this measure in an official correspondence sent to the Government Bureau of Inspection.

c) To adapt measures of an active policy of employment to the needs of women in order to provide them with easier access to the job market and promote the self-employment of women.

Measure: 1. The Croatian Bureau of Employment will inform all women whose educational background and abilities meet the requirements and are interested in entrepreneurship about a project for granting loans with favorable conditions of repayment to entrepreneurs for small enterprises, sponsored by the Ministry of the Economy and the Croatian Guarantee Agency, in cooperation with commercial banks and the loan program of the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

*The Croatian Bureau of Employment informs all women whose educational background and abilities meet the requirements and are interested in entrepreneurship about a project for granting loans with favorable conditions of repayment to entrepreneurs for small enterprises, sponsored by the Ministry of the Economy and the Croatian Guarantee Agency, in cooperation with commercial banks and the loan program of the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

2. In the implementation of the project, particular attention will be given to securing funds for loans to women entrepreneurs in deficit professions, according to the data of the Croatian Bureau of Employment.

*The measure is implemented within the framework of the previous measure that originates from the Program of Promoting Small Enterprises initiated by the Ministry of the Economy.

*In October 1999, in cooperation with the Council of Economics of the UN and the OECD, an international seminar is planned within the framework of the members of the CEI Initiative entitled Women's Entrepreneurship - East-West Cooperation.

3. The Ministry of the Economy through the project Croatian Consultant Network will co-finance and provide counseling services to women entrepreneurs who contact the Croatian Bureau of Employment. The Commission to monitor the work of the Croatian Consultant Network will take special account of this and regularly inform the Ministry of the Economy.

*In 1997, the Croatian Consultant Network (HMK) was established for small enterprises as a network of suppliers of the professional services of business counseling to entrepreneurs in small enterprises, manual trades, members of cooperatives, small and medium-size trading companies etc. In the Croatian Consultant Network, there are two hundred and fifty consultants who are regular members. Of these, thirty-three are women, of whom twenty-two are owners and general managers of enterprises (trading companies or manual trades), eleven women are the owners or general managers of auditing firms. Through the project of the Croatian Consultant Network, the Ministry of the Economy co-finances and provides counseling services to women beginners in enterprise referred by the Croatian Bureau of Employment. The Commission for monitoring the work of the Croatian Network of Consultants takes special account of this and regularly informs the Ministry of the Economy.

4. Through the Program for the Promotion of Small Enterprises (manual trades, cooperatives, small and medium-size trading companies), in the distribution of funds the Ministry of the Economy will take into account that the criteria and priorities meet the needs of women entrepreneurs at the level of the county and units of local self-management.

*The measure is implemented within the framework of the Program for the Promotion of Small Enterprises of the Ministry of the Economy.

5. The Ministry of the Economy, in cooperation with the Croatian Bureau of Employment, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Croatian Board of Trade, the Croatian Federation of Innovators and other relevant institutions, will adapt media promotion of the entrepreneurial environment to women as one of the target groups.

*The measure is implemented within the framework of the Program for the Promotion of Small Enterprise - the Project for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship Through Media Presentation that is aimed exclusively at the female population, and as a whole promotes women entrepreneurs in a suitable manner. In planning this project, nine target groups were defined, among which women entrepreneurs occupy a distinguished position. This is particularly emphasized in the text of the public competition, as in the competition documentation. Due to the all-encompassing nature of the project and the fact that it is long-term (a series of activities are planned that will be implemented over several years), and its accessibility, a study has been conducted on the potentials of small and medium-size entrepreneurship. Of the hundred successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurial cases being studied, one third are women.

*In progress is a project of educating teachers, athletic trainers and enterprise consultants. The Republic of Croatia already has fifty-four certified teachers, of whom seventeen are women who have successfully finished the required course of study. There are seventeen in the group for the instruction of trainers, of whom eight are women. In the selection of candidates, additional points are given to women, in order to provide them with additional encouragement to participate in the educational process. The instruction of consultants began on September 13, 1999, and is intended for the officials of the local administrative units and partner institutions of the Ministry of the Economy. Of thirty-three attending the course, fourteen are women.

d) To encourage men to use their legally stipulated right to take family leave, thereby promoting the equal responsibility of men and women in family obligations

Measure: 1. Within a three-year period, the authorized Government agency will investigate the possibility of changing the legal stipulations regarding the protection of mothers, with the goal of introducing stipulations that would encourage men to exercise their rights in connection with the raising of children.

*The implementation of the measure has not begun.

I.8. Women and armed conflicts

For the purpose of monitoring the participation of women in resolving conflicts at the level of making decisions for the protection of women who live in situations of armed and other conflicts, the Government of the Republic of Croatia will promote nonviolent forms of conflict resolution and reduce the violation of human rights in situations of conflict, promote the contribution of women in preserving the peace; offer protection, assistance and rehabilitation to women refugees and undertake the following:

a) To promote the equal participation of women in all forums and peace activities at all levels, particularly at the decision-making level.

Measure: 1. The authorized agency will continue to take into account the equal representation of women in all the processes of the peaceful resolution of conflict, particularly in the process of peaceful reintegration.

*The Commission for Issues on Equality has delivered a copy of the National Policy to the Commission for 国产AVful Reintegration, headed by Mrs. Vesna Škare-Ožbolt and made note of this measure.

b) To continue the procedure of the identification and condemnation of the systematic rape and other forms of inhuman and humiliating behavior toward women as intended instruments of war and "ethnic cleansing," and to undertake measures for investigating and punishing the members of the police, security, armed forces and others who have perpetrated violence against women, violating international humanitarian law or violating the human rights of women in situations of armed conflicts.

Measure: 1. The Medical Center for Human Rights, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defense, will investigate within a period of one year the female victims of violence in the recent war in Croatia, according to data that have already been collected, and determine what has been undertaken regarding the perpetrators of violence.

*The implementation of the measure has not been completed.

c) To reaffirm that rape in wartime conflicts represents a war crime and that in certain circumstances it is a crime against humanity and genocide, as established in the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. To undertake all the necessary measures to protect women and children from such acts and strengthen the mechanisms for the investigation and punishment of all who are responsible and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Measure: 1. The Ministry of Justice will systematically follow the judicial practice in connection with Article 158 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Croatia in the section in which coercion to prostitution or rape is defined as a war crime against the civilian population, and will regularly report to the Commission for Issues of Equality.

*The Ministry of Justice submitted data on the total number of criminal acts from Paragraph 1, Article 158 (in which various types of war crimes committed against the civilian population are described, including coercion to prostitution and rape). The Government Bureau of Statistics does not record statistical data on crimes according to the victims of the crimes, nor according to the individual forms and methods that the crimes are committed within the same legal classification. Therefore, it is not possible to classify the individual forms of the crimes committed or the total number and types of crimes.

In 1995, one hundred and fifty persons were reported for the crime stipulated in Article 158, Paragraph 1, War Crimes Against the Civilian Population, of whom fifty-five were prosecuted and fifty-five were sentenced. In 1996, there were one hundred and forty-nine persons reported, forty-eight prosecuted and forty-eight sentenced. In 1997, there were one hundred and fifty-four persons reported, of whom thirty-six were prosecuted and sentenced. In 1998, there were ninety-six persons reported, of whom twenty-eight were prosecuted and twenty-eight were sentenced.

In 1995, regarding the persons sentenced for the crime stipulated in Article 158, Paragraph 1, of the fifty-five sentenced, nine persons were sentenced to twenty years of prison without parole, eleven were sentenced to fifteen years of prison without parole, three were sent to prison for ten to fifteen years without parole, thirty persons were sent to prison for five to ten years without parole, one person was sent to prison for three to five years without parole, and one person was sent to prison without parole for eight to twelve months. In 1996, of the forty-eight persons convicted, nineteen persons were sentenced to prison for twenty years without parole, eleven persons were sentenced to prison for fifteen years without parole, eleven persons were sent to prison for ten to fifteen years without parole, six persons were sentenced to prison for five to ten years without parole, and one person was sentenced to prison for eight to twelve months without parole. In 1997, of the twenty-nine persons convicted, five persons were sentenced to prison for twenty years without parole, seventeen were sentenced to prison for fifteen years without parole, two persons were sentenced to prison for ten to fifteen years without parole, two persons were sentenced to prison for five to ten years without parole, and three persons were sentenced to prison for three to five years without parole. In 1998, of the twenty-six convicted persons, twelve persons were sentenced to prison for twenty years without parole, five persons were sentenced to prison for ten to fifteen years without parole, six persons were sentenced to prison for five to ten years without parole, one person was sentenced to prison for three to five years without parole, and two persons were sentenced to prison for eight to twelve months without parole.

d) To take into account the problems in connection with the sexes in the development of programs for training personnel engaged in international human rights and the awareness of human rights and to recommend such training for all who are engaged in safeguarding the peace and providing the humanitarian assistance of the United Nations, with the goal of preventing violence to women.

Measure: 1. In the framework of the curriculum at military colleges, to introduce a course on international human rights within two years, with particular emphasis on preventing violence to women in armed and other conflicts.

*Implementation is in progress.

e) To undertake steps that would assure that women are fully included in the planning, forming, implementing, monitoring and evaluating of all short-term and long-term projects and programs that provide assistance to women refugees and displaced women.

Measure: 1. In the framework of the measures that include the co-financing of small projects, the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality will particularly take into account the co-financing of projects by non-governmental organizations engaged in assisting women refugees and displaced women.

*In 1999, through financial support for small projects, the Commission provided funds for the Vojnic Women's Group and the Women's Group of the Center for 国产AV, Nonviolence and Human Rights - Osijek, which are engaged in the stated activities.

2. In order to provide protection, assistance and rehabilitation to women refugees, in 1998 the Ministry of Development and Renewal will initiate the implementation of a project entitled Promoting the Reintegration of Women Refugees into Society, and will regularly report to the Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality on the measures undertaken and results achieved.

f)*Implementation of the project is in progress.

f) To provide adequate protection and assistance to women and children who were displaced within their country and find a solution to the root of their displacement, with the goal of preventing further displacement and facilitating return to their homes or relocation.

Measure: 1. The Commission of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Issues of Equality will recommend to the National Committee for Establishing Confidence that particular attention should be paid to the needs of women returnees within the framework of its activities.

*The secretariat of the Commission sent an official letter on February 5, 1998 to the National Committee for Establishing Confidence.

2. Within the period of one year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare will investigate the needs of returnees via the centers for social welfare and the possibilities for employing women in social welfare work in the liberated territories.

*The implementation of the measure has not begun.

PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTATION

The establishment of the Commission for Issues of Equality and the preparation and implementation of the National Policy contributed to raising awareness about the need for activity in order to achieve full equality of women and men. Numerous measures have been implemented for advancing the status of women. Forum discussions have been held with the participation of NGOs, and the NGOs have also independently carried out a series of very useful activities and projects. Attached to this report is the Report on the Work of the Women's Counseling Service that provides assistance to female victims of violence.

All these activities are still not sufficient for the creation of a general climate in which, for example, the inadequate presence of women in political life would be perceived as a significant problem for a democratic society.

In implementing the National Policy, it was noted that the achievement of planned goals is closely connected with the finances for implementing concrete measures, i.e., some of the planned measures were not implemented because of a lack of funding. Increasing funding is also necessary for co-financing the NGOs, which permits the inclusion of a larger number of participants in reaching the goals from the National Policy and the Beijing Platform.

The lack of quality statistical indices has been noted, which would be necessary for the precise and systematic monitoring of trends in this area and the evaluation of results.

A further problem is connected with the shortage of suitably educated personnel in the Government administration that could work systematically on promoting a policy of the equal participation of the sexes throughout all aspects of Government politics.

The policy for promotion of gender equality and advancing the status of women could not have had priority significance during the war period but has been accepted as Government policy with the establishment of the Commission and the adoption of the National Policy. The further democratization of the society should result in a greater significance being afforded to the promotion and achievement of gender equality.

PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER ACTIVITIES FOR APPLYING THE BEIJING PLATFORM AFTER THE YEAR 2000

We find ourselves in a situation in which no one has anything in principle against full equality for women and the promotion of gender equality but there is insufficient will to undertake effective measures that would change the situation rapidly. When administrative and managerial personnel are appointed or selected in numerous government and public institutions, attention is still not given to providing equal distribution of the sexes (in the Parliament, Government, courts, health, educational system etc.). Despite the above, increasing participation by women has been recorded in high positions in the Government administration. For example, in the Government of the Republic of Croatia, there are five women out of twenty deputy ministers, and twenty-three female secretaries to ministers or assistants to ministers out of a total of one hundred and thirty-four. The number of women at the deputy minister level (over 20%) indicates that there is significant participation by women in the implementation of national politics. There is a need to continue to work in order to promote an even more significant women's presence in the formation of national policy and participation in public political life.

Proposals of further measures for the implementation of the Beijing Platform after the year 2000 should start with analyzing the results achieved in the implementation of the National Policy and establishing the reasons why some measures were not implemented. For this purpose, the Commission will organize a conference in November 1999 on the implementation of the National Policy for the Promotion of Equality and the Beijing Platform, at which further measures for their implementation will be determined. At this conference, the results achieved and obstacles encountered in achieving gender equality will be discussed, as well as proposals for further activities and measures for the implementation of the Beijing Platform.