On 30 January 2024, the European Union - Council of Europe joint project “Implementing the Barnahus Model in Croatia” held its launching conference at the National and University Library in Zagreb. Ivan Malenica, Minister of Justice and Public Administration of Croatia, high-level officials from the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Science and Education, the Ministry of Health, as well as the Ombudsperson for children, Kjartan Björnsson, Deputy Director at the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) of the European Commission and Regina Jensdottir, Head of the Children’s Rights Division and Council of Europe Coordinator for the Rights of the Child delivered opening remarks.
“A society is as effective as it protects those most vulnerable, and there isn’t a more vulnerable group in our society than children, especially those who have survived any form of violence or abuse. The establishment of the Barnahus model in Croatia will bring significant changes to our legal and institutional system and society as a whole”, said Minister Malenica.
Organised by the Council of Europe in close co-operation with DG REFORM and the Croatian Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, the event brought together representatives of relevant national Ministries, international consultants, as well as the members of the project Advisory Group and other national stakeholders who will work closely with the project, including civil society. The conference was an opportunity to promote the Barnahus model at national level to a wider audience, present main findings of the project's Inception report and share different national Barnahus experiences (Iceland, Finland and Slovenia).
The Project aims to improve the access and quality of the justice system for child victims/witnesses of violence in Croatia, to ensure that undue delays in the treatment of such cases are diminished, and that all children who are victims/witnesses of sexual violence benefit from a child-friendly access to justice. Building on the work already carried out by Croatia, the project will support the Croatian authorities in their first steps towards the establishment of a Barnahus in the country.
“Our primary objective is to prevent re-traumatisation and re-victimisation of the child, while at the same time ensuring the validity of testimonies and obtaining lawful evidence for the purposes of court proceedings”, concluded the Minister.
From her side, Regina Jensdottir stressed that the Council of Europe was honoured to work with the MInistry of Justice and Public Administration on the implementation of the project. “We are laying the foundations for transformative change in the lives of child victims of sexual exploitation and abuse in Croatia. It is not just our ambition, it is our obligation", underlined Regina Jensdottir.
Programme in English and Croatian
Project Inception report in English and Croatian
Presentation of the findings of the Inception Report
Keynote presentation on Barnahus: innovative services to protect children, by Susanna Greijer, Researcher, Legal & Policy Consultant Consultant on Children's Rights and Violence against Children
Presentation on lessons learnt and achievements in Iceland, by Ólöf Ásta Farestveit, Director General, National Agency for Children and Families, Reykjavik, Iceland
Presentation on lessons learnt and achievements in Finland, by Taina Laajasalo, Chief Researcher at the National Institute of Health and Welfare
Presentation on lessons learnt and achievements in Slovenia, by Andrej Del Fabro, Head of the Child-friendly Criminal Justice Department, in Slovenian
Presentation on lessons learnt and achievements in Slovenia, by Simona Mikec, Director, Children’s House, Ljubljana, in Slovenian
Calls for Tenders
