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1. Intercultural awareness

2. Young people's rights

3. Key initiatives to safeguard democracy and prevent radicalization which lead to violent extremism

Intercultural awareness

In February 2020, the Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities (OHRRNM) of the Government of the Republic of Croatia completed the project Roma Inclusion - Fulfilling Preconditions for Successful Implementation of National Minority Policies – Phase 1.

The total funding was HRK 10 853 065.12 (approximately €1 447 000.00), with a funding ratio of 85% from the European Social Fund and 15% from national funding.

The main outcomes of the project were:

• increased level of public and Roma awareness on the importance of preschool and high school education, as well as on the position of Roma women, children, and young people
• strengthened position of the OHRRNM and enhanced capacities of representatives of bodies responsible for the National Roma Inclusion Strategy 2013-2020 (NRIS) implementation
• improved Roma participation in the implementation of the NRIS

The main target groups addressed by the project were:

• representatives of the OHRRNM and bodies responsible for the NRIS implementation
• members of the Roma national minority

The second activity implemented in 2020 was a virtual conference “Inclusion of Roma in Croatian Society: the Position of Women, Children and Youth”.

The National Roma Platform - Living Equality project aims to promote the implementation of the NRIS at the local and regional level. The intention is to enhance cooperation and coordinate the efforts of implementing partners and other stakeholders whose activities aim to promote the inclusion of Roma and improve their socio-economic position. Under this project, the OHRRNM organised a seminar and a two-day discussion with young Roma to identify their needs and enhance their participation in policymaking.

Young people's rights

There are no specific initiatives targeting young people's rights as such.

Key initiatives to safeguard democracy and prevent radicalisation which leads to violent extremism

At the national level, no initiative established solely focused on preventing the radicalisation leading to violent extremism among young people. Nevertheless, the fight against racism and discrimination, the promotion of active citizenship, diverse opinions, convictions, beliefs, and lifestyles, opposition to all forms of inequality, as well as the strengthening of critical thinking and the sense of initiative and engagement, are supported by non-formal learning and youth work.

In 2023, the Central State Office for Demography and Youth announced the Call for Youth-oriented Project Proposals for Financial Support from a Portion of the State Lottery Funds and the 2023 State Budget . The call favours, among other criteria, civil society organisations implementing projects that promote the development of multiculturalism, tolerance, gender and sexual equality, human rights, non-violent conflict resolution, and youth participation in decision-making.

In 2019, The former Ministry for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy published the last Call for Proposals in the Field of Prevention of Violence Against and Among the Children and Young People. The Call was intended to fund projects in the following priority areas:

• prevention of violence among young people (non-violent conflict resolution among youth, education on the acceptance of diversity among youth)
• prevention of violence in partnership relationships among young people
• prevention of electronic violence against and among children and young people through projects aimed at protecting children from the dangers of using computers, the Internet, and other means of distance communication, and at preventing violence on social networks with an emphasis on the prevention of hate speech, etc.)
• prevention of sexual abuse and violence against children
• prevention of emotional violence and corporal punishment against children
• prevention of violence among children, including support for non-violent conflict resolution and education on accepting differences among children)