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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

Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities of the Government of the Republic of Croatia (Ured za ljudska prava i prava nacionalnih manjina) was implementing till the end of February 2020 the project “Roma Inclusion - Fulfilling preconditions for successful implementation of national minority policies - PHASE I” (Uključivanje Roma - Ispunjavanje preduvjeta za učinkovitu provedbu politika usmjerenih na nacionalne manjine (faza I).

The funding is envisaged form European social fund. The total amount of the funding was 10,853,065.12 HRK (approximately 1,447,000 euros). The funding ratio is 85% from ESF and 15% was national funding.

The main outcomes were:

• The level of public and Roma awareness on the importance of preschool and high school education, and on Roma women, children and young people position is increased,
• the Office position is strengthen as well as capacities of representatives of bodies in charge for NRIS implementation, and
• the Roma participation in NRIS implementation is improved.

The main target groups addressed were:

• Representatives of the Office and bodies in charge for NRIS implementation
• Members of Roma national minority

Two activities were implemented in 2020.

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

The project ‘National Roma Platform - Living Equality’ (Nacionalna platforma za Rome – Živjeti jednakost) aims to encourage the implementation of the National Roma Inclusion Strategy at the local and regional level for the period 2013-2020. The intention thereby is to improve co-operation and coordinate the work of implementing partners and other stakeholders whose activities are aimed at involving and improving the socio-economic position of Roma in Croatia. Under this project, the Office organized a seminar and a two-day discussion with young Roma in order to identify their needs, as well as their participation in policymaking for Roma.

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 national level, no initiative was established that would be directed solely at the prevention of radicalization leading to the violent extremism of young people. However, the fight against racism and discrimination, the promotion of active citizenship and the diversity of opinions, convictions, beliefs and lifestyles, being against all forms of inequality, strengthening of critical thinking and the sense of initiative and engagement are backed up by non-formal learning and youth work.

The Central State Office for Demography and Youth has published in 2021 calls for proposals for youth-oriented projects and programmes for financial support available from the state budget and from a portion of the state lottery funds (Poziv za prijavu projekata usmjerenih mladima za financijsku potporu iz raspoloživih sredstava dijela prihoda od igara na sreću i Državnog proračuna za 2021. godinu ). The call favours, inter alia, those civil society organisations, which implement projects that encourage the development of multiculturalism, tolerance, gender and sexual equality, human rights, non-violent conflict resolution and youth participation in decision-making.

The former Ministry for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy published in 2019 last Call for proposals in the field of prevention of violence against and among the children and young people. (Poziv za prijavu projekata udruga u području prevencije nasilja nad i među djecom i mladima in 2019). The mentioned call was meant for funding projects in the following priority areas:

1. Prevention of violence among young people (non-violent conflict resolution among youth, education on the acceptance of diversity among youth and others)

2. Prevention of violence in partnership relationships among young people.

3. Prevention of electronic violence against and between children and young people (projects aimed at protecting children from the dangers of using computers, the internet and other means of distance communication, prevention of violence on social networks with an emphasis on prevention of hate speech, etc.)

4. Prevention of sexual abuse and violence against children

5. Prevention of children’s emotional violence and corporal punishment