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Description
Croatia is the third worst country in the EU in terms of the number of femicides (13 women killed in 2022). An ineffective response to the problem is the absence of a strategic approach to violence against women and the absence of effective and systematic violence prevention measures (research by the European Institute for Gender Equality; also relevant for ESF+ in Croatia). The national strategy for protection against domestic violence from 2017 to 2022 was gender neutral, did not contain a strategic approach to all forms of violence against women, and was not aligned with the Istanbul Convention: prevention, protection, prosecution, coordinated policies. A working group for the new strategy was established (including two members of the Women''s Network).
The Women''s Network of Croatia warned on December 6 about the escalation of violence and, what is worrying, about the number of women killed; representatives of almost all opposition parties jointly announced in the Croatian Parliament that they support the demands of women''s associations for the adoption of a complete National Strategy against violence.
The goal of the project is advocacy of the comprehensive National Strategy against violence against women and to strengthen the advocacy/watchdog capacities of associations for the protection of women''s rights.
Key activities: Drafting of the "National Strategy against violence against women in the shadows" with consultation with experts; Meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister Anja Šimpraga and the Ombudsperson for Gender Equality; Communication with representatives in the Croatian Parliament and letters to the Government and the Croatian Parliament regarding the adoption of the National Strategy against Violence against Women; Conference for the presentation of the National Strategy against violence against women in the shadows with the participation of representatives of state institutions.