CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARY SEX EQUALITY COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED

ZAGREB, March 1 (Hina) - The Sabor's sex equality committee held its constituent session on Thursday. The present at the session agreed everyday experience and other indicators showed that Croatia was still far from the Constitutional's fundamental principle about the equality between men and women. Committee chairwoman Gordana Sobol, of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said that prior to this founding session there were some initiatives that this parliamentary committee should not be formed. Sobol added that committee had a difficult task which would sometimes enter the field of human rights. Djurdja Adlesic of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) said the committee should pay more attention to the coming local election and called on women's associations to "exert more pressure on political parties," not only for the quota of female candidates but also for women to be at the top of election rosters. Adlesic voiced regret at the failure of other female MPs to react upon insults to which a member of parliament, Ms. Vesna Pusic, was exposed recently. Adlesic added that the insults to women were always more disgusting. Next week this committee, together with the parliamentary human rights committee, will hold a joint session on the protection of women's rights in the country. Of the three male members of the newly-founded committee, only Zlatko Canjuga of the Croatian Independent Democrats was present at today's event. (hina) ms