IV. INFORMATION AND THE PUBLIC

A. The activities of the Government of the Republic of Croatia aimed at the protection and furthering of human rights and national minority rights

72. The Government of the Republic of Croatia has made a special effort to promote the public awareness of the rights enshrined in the various international mechanisms for the protection of human rights. Taking into consideration all the fundamental documents of the Republic of Croatia, the UN, UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, the Government of the Republic of Croatia began the process of implementing an integrated system for the protection and promotion of human rights, through the establishment of special national bodies concerned with specific areas of human rights in the Republic of Croatia.

73. Coordination for Domestic Politics and Human Rights is a central governmental body for human rights issues, which systematically monitors the condition of human rights and the rights of national minorities in the Republic of Croatia, and coordinates the activities of various offices and bodies concerned with the protection and promotion of human rights. The Coordination also reviews complaints regarding conditions of human rights .in Croatia, made by international organizations, and submits proposals for the necessary measures aimed at protection and promotion of human rights to the Movement, competent ministries, the governmental offices and bureaus.

74. Up to the present moment, the following national bodies were established with the aim of protecting and promoting human rights in the Republic of Croatia:

75. The National Committee for the Education on Human Rights provides aid to all citizens, ranging from preschool and secondary school to high school age, in their individual and social education on the principles of equality and freedom of all people. The educational programmes on human rights aim to further the individual awareness of the protection of human rights as the natural prerogative of every citizen and society as a whole, with the intention of educating younger generations in the idea of dignity of every human life and a need to respect and protect human rights. Part of this programme is the education on the rights of national minorities. Therefore, the education on the principles enshrined in the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, has a very important role.

The Government Commission for Equal Relations coordinates and brings together all activities in the Republic of Croatia, which are related to the implementation of the document of the Fourth World Convention on Women and Furthering of Women's Position, International Cooperation and Cooperation between Non-Governmental Women's Associations. At the proposal of the Commission, the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the National Policy of the Republic of Croatia for the Promotion of Equality.

The National Committee for Development of the Programme of Activities for Children in the Republic of Croatia, in conformity with the provisions of the Plan of Activities for the Implementation of the Declaration for the Survival, Protection and Development of Children in the Nineties during the World Summit dedicated to the question of children, prepared the National Programme of Activities for Children in the Republic of Croatia, which was then adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The National Committee monitors the implementation and efficacy of the National Programme of Activities for Children in the Republic of Croatia.

Finally, the Council for Children was established as a coordinating body of the Government, working within the State Institute for the Protection of Family, Motherhood and Youth. It is made up of representatives of the state administration bodies, the parliamentary Deputies, the representatives of associations, prominent experts in the field of the protection of children, and the representatives of the press and media. The main task of the Council is the monitoring of the implementation of the National Programme of Activities for Children in the Republic of Croatia.

B. Non-governmental associations of the national minorities in the Republic of Croatia

76. At the time of the proclamation of Croatia's independence, the following associations of national minorities were active in the Republic of Croatia:

1. Italian Union, Rijeka
2. The Union of Czechs and Slovaks, Daruvar
3. The Union of Hungarians, Osijek
4. The Union of Ruthenians and Ukrainians, Vukovar
5. Jewish Community, Zagreb
6. Jewish Cultural and Performing Society "Miroslav Salom Freiberger", Zagreb
7. Serbian Cultural Society "Prosvjeta", Zagreb

Today the following non-governmental associations of national minorities are active in the Republic of Croatia:

1. Italian Union, Rijeka
2. The Union of Czechs and Slovaks, Daruvar
3. The Union of Slovaks, Nasice
4. The Union of Hungarians of the Republic of Croatia, Osijek
5. Democratic Community of Hungarians of Croatia, Osijek
6. The Society of Hungarian Scientists and Artists in the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb
7. The Union of Hungarian Associations, Zagreb
8. The Union of Ruthenians and Ukrainians of the Republic of Croatia, Vukovar
9. Serbian Cultural Society "Prosvjeta", Zagreb
10. The Community of Serbs in the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb
11. Serbian Democratic Forum, Zagreb
12. The Union of Serbian Organizations, Zagreb
13. The Initiative for the Serbian National Congress, Zagreb
14. Joint Council of Municipalities, Vukovar
15. The Union of Germans and Austrians of Croatia, Osijek
16. The Community of Germans in Croatia, Zagreb
17. German Ethnic Community, Osijek
18. National Union of Germans in Croatia, Zagreb
19. The Association of Austrians in Croatia, Zagreb
20. Jewish Community, Zagreb
21. Jewish Cultural and Performing Society "Miroslav Salom Freiberger", Zagreb
22. The Union of Slovenian Societies in the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb
23. The Union of Albanian Communities in the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb
24. Cultural Society of Bosnians of Croatia "Preporod", Zagreb
25. Bosnian National Community in Croatia, Zagreb
26 The Union of Romany Associations of Croatia, Virovitica
27. Romany Educational Community, Zagreb
28. The Community of Romanies of Croatia, Zagreb
29. The Union of Romanies of Croatia, Zagreb
30. The Association of Romany Youth, Zagreb
31. The Association "Romsko Srce", Zagreb
32. The Association "Romi za Rome", Zagreb
33. National Community of Montenegrins of Croatia, Zagreb
34. The Union of Association of Macedonians of the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb

C. Non-governmental associations for the protection of human rights in the Republic of Croatia

77. In its efforts to further the protection of human rights, the Government of the Republic of Croatia also cooperates with non-governmental associations active in the field of human rights

78. The following non-governmental associations for the protection of human rights are presently active in the Republic of Croatia:

1. Amnesty International Croatia, Zagreb
2. Croatian League for Peace, Zagreb
3. Civic Committee for Human Rights, Zagreb
4. Magna carta - Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights, Zagreb
5. Croatian Association of Political Prisoners - Victims of Communism, Zagreb
6. Centre for the Direct Protection of Human Rights
7. Centre for Peace, Non-Violence and Human Rights, Osijek
8. Serbian Democratic Forum, Zagreb
9. Youth Peace Group "Danube", Vukovar
10. "Homo" - Association for the Protection of Human Rights and Civil Liberties, Pula
11. Dalmatian Committee for Human Rights, Split
12. Centre for Civil Rights
13. Centre for the Protection of Rights of the Imprisoned and Missing Citizens of Croatia and Members of their Families, Zagreb
14. Committee for Human Rights, Zagreb
15. Association for the Promotion of Women's Rights "Lobi"
16. Civic Committee for Equality and Democracy
17. Association for Help, Cooperation and Tolerance "Pusa", Knin
18. Civic Committee "Povratak kuaei", Zagreb
19. Volunteers' Centre "Zagreb", Zagreb
20. Group for Women's and Human Rights "B.a.B.e.: Budi aktivna - budi emancipirna", Zagreb
21. Association "Goli otok", Zagreb
22. Croatian Society for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, Zagreb
23. Croatian Helsinki Committee
24. Croatian Movement for Democracy and Social Justice, Zagreb
25. "Heureka" - Association for the Protection of Interests and Rights of the Family and Children, Zagreb
26. Liberal Centre for Democracy, Human Rights and Civil Liberties, Zagreb
27. "TOD" - Association for the Research of the Transition to Democracy, Zagreb
28. Association for Peace and Human Rights "Baranja", Bilje
29. Central Bureau for Refugees, Human Rights and Rights of National Communities or Minorities of SDF, Zagreb
30. Centre for Civil Initiatives, Poree
31. Dalmatian Committee of Solidarity ("DOS")
32. Civic Committee for Human Rights, Zagreb
33. "Suncokret" - Peace Humanitarian Movement, Rijeka
34. Association for the Protection of Human Rights and Civil Liberties "Homo"
35. Alliance for Peace and Human Rights "Baranja", Bilje
36. Centre for Peace, Legal Aid and Psychosocial Support, Vukovar
37. Women's Group "Mali Losinj", Mali Losinj
38. Committee for Human Rights of the Serbian Community of Rijeka, Rijeka
39. Committee for Human Rights, Karlovac

Non-governmental associations concerned with the protection of human rights in the Republic of Croatia, established their own central, operative body, the Coordination of Organizations for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in the Republic of Croatia, comprising the following associations:

1. Centre for the Direct Protection of Human Rights, Zagreb
2. Centre for Peace, Non-Violence and Human Rights, Osijek
3. Central Bureau for Refugees, Human Rights and Rights of National Communities or Minorities in SDP, Zagreb
4. Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights - Magna carta, Zagreb
5. Centre for Civil Initiatives, Poree
6. Dalmatian Committee for Human Rights, Split
7. Dalmatian Committee of Solidarity ("DOS")
8. Civic Committee for Human Rights, Zagreb
9. Committee for Human Rights, Zagreb
10. Peace Movement "Suncokret", Rijeka
11. Association for the Protection of Human Rights and Civil Liberties "Homo", Pula
12. Group for Women's and Human Rights "B.a.B.e.", Zagreb
13. Alliance for Peace and Human Rights "Baranja", Bilje
14. Centre for Peace, Legal Aid and Psychosocial Support, Vukovar
15. Women's Group "Mali Losinj", Mali Losinj
16. Committee for Human Rights of the Serbian Community of Rijeka, Rijeka
17. Committee for Human Rights, Karlovac

D. The Ombudsman's Office

79. The Ombudsman's office has a very important role in the promotion of human rights. The Ombudsman's duties comprise not only the protection of specific civil rights (which were discussed in the previous chapters of this report), but also their promotion, which is stipulated by Article 7, Paragraph 5 of the Ombudsman Law: "The Ombudsman may submit his admonitions, information, proposals and reports to the media, who have the obligation to make them public." The Ombudsman also submits his annual activity report to the Croatian Parliament (Article 8), thus ensuring the awareness of the Deputies, as well as the awareness of the general public, on the status of constitutional and legal civil rights.

E. The reports based on the international documents to which the Republic of Croatia is party

80. By virtue of ratifying various international agreements and documents on human rights, the Republic of Croatia undertook the obligation of submitting national reports related to the subject. These reports have the additional aim of informing the public on the condition of human rights in the country.

81. At the invitation of the Committee for the Abolition of Racial Discrimination, on March 1993, the Republic of Croatia submitted a Special Report based on the International Convention for the Abolition of all Forms of Racial Discrimination of 1965 (CERD/C/249), and later provided additional information related to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on March 9 and 10, 1995.(CERD/C249.Add.l). The Republic of Croatia also submitted the Initial, the Second and the Third Report on the implementation of the Convention for the Abolition of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in December 1997, and defended the Report on August 3 and 4, 1998.

82. The Initial Report based on the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment of 1984.(CAT/C/16/Add.6) was submitted on January 29, 1996, and presented on May 6 1996, while the Second Periodical Report, initially submitted in 1997 was defended on November 16, 1998.

83. The initial Report based on the Convention for the Rights of the Child of 1989 (CRC/C/8/Add.19) was submitted on December 7, 1994. The Initial Report based on the Convention for the Rights of the Child was defended on January 22, 1996.

84. The Special Report in conformity with the Article 18 of the Convention for the Abolition of all Forms of Discrimination of Women of 1979 (CEDAW/CRO/SP 1) was submitted on March 31, 1995. In May 1994 the Republic of Croatia also submitted the Initial Report, based on the same Convention. The Croatian Government Delegation presented the Report in question on January 21 - 23, 1998, before the Committee for the Abolition of All Forms of Discrimination of Women.

85. The Initial Report of the Republic of Croatia based on the International Treaty for Civil and Political Rights of 1966, is presently in preparation, and so is the Initial Report based on the International Treaty for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.