The US$ 175,000 agreement was signed by UNDP permanent representative to Croatia Louisa Vinton, Minister Predrag Matic, Swiss Ambassador Denis Knobel and the president of the "Vukovar Women in the Homeland War" association, Marija Sliskovic. Also present was UNDP Administrator Helen Clark.
Vinton said that according to UN estimates, about 3,000 women and an unknown number of men were raped during Croatia's Homeland War but only 67 were officially registered.
She pointed to the courage of the women from Vukovar to speak out about the abuse suffered in the war, saying today's agreement was aimed at legally supporting the War Veterans Ministry in the drafting of legislation that would enable rape victims to acquire civilian war victim status, encouraging victims to speak out and enabling the courts to punish the perpetrators.
The project is financed by the UNDP with $75,000, the UN Women organisation with $60,000, the Swiss government with $44,000 and the Croatian government with $4,000.
Minister Matic said the government was preparing, with the UNDP's assistance, a law on the protection of victims of sexual violence in the Homeland War. He said the aim was to provide victims with health care and counselling as well as protection during testimonies and financial compensation because the state had not reacted in the right way, and also to punish the perpetrators.
Clark supported the agreement, saying the UN's position was that sexual violence in war was a crime with no statute of limitations.
She commended the "Vukovar Women in the Homeland War" association's courage in persevering in the search for justice, saying she had read some of their testimonies and that they had been subjected to major violence.