ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - Croatia hosts the second regional meeting about equality of the sexes, scheduled for Wednesday. The meeting, organised within the working table on democracy and human rights of the Stability Pact for
Southeast Europe, will take place in Zagreb. The Zagreb session will revolve around plans of activities that can promote equality of the sexes and around the distribution of financial means for various projects in this field, said Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister Zeljka Antunovic. Antunovic added that in Croatia there was an inter-ministry commission for this matter, the task of which is to eliminate all forms of discrimination, particularly in the passage of laws. Discrimination and inequality are not only consequences of the war, but they are "social heritage" and our every-day reality the removal of which depends on our readiness and resoluteness, she said. Antunovic v
ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - Croatia hosts the second regional meeting
about equality of the sexes, scheduled for Wednesday.
The meeting, organised within the working table on democracy and
human rights of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, will take
place in Zagreb.
The Zagreb session will revolve around plans of activities that can
promote equality of the sexes and around the distribution of
financial means for various projects in this field, said Croatia's
Deputy Prime Minister Zeljka Antunovic.
Antunovic added that in Croatia there was an inter-ministry
commission for this matter, the task of which is to eliminate all
forms of discrimination, particularly in the passage of laws.
Discrimination and inequality are not only consequences of the war,
but they are "social heritage" and our every-day reality the
removal of which depends on our readiness and resoluteness, she
said.
Antunovic viewed the 20 percent of women's share in the new
composition of the Croatian National Parliament as an important
achievement. According to her, this fact shows that women's rights
have been promoted well recently.
Croatian Labour and Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic said
the issue of equality of the sexes refers more to women but it is the
joint task of women and men and the foundation of each democratic
society.
When Vidovic took office this ministry started cooperating with 58
women's non-governmental organisations in Croatia whose remarks
and amendments to the relevant laws in effect are welcome.
We in Croatia have a great problem that lays in shadow and that is
family violence in which women suffer mostly, Vidovic said adding
that out of seven harassed women in Croatia, five are abused in the
family.
Minister Vidovic said it was necessary to stop talking about an
idyllic picture of the Croatian family, which was created in the
last decade, and it is high time all faced reality.
The minister announced changes of the penal code and family
legislation so that every kind of violence against women can be
sanctioned in the future. He also advocated changes that can help
victims to find asylum and free or cheap legal aid. Those
alterations should prevent any discrimination against woman and
lead to the strengthening of the international cooperation in
prevention of the trade with women and children, he added.
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