Term of office expires 1 July 2024
Member since 2 July 2014
Bureau member since January 2020
Education and academic and other qualifications
- LLB, Magna Cum Laude, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, 2003.
- Diploma, International Institute for Human Rights, Strasbourg, 2005.
- Croatian State Exam, 2005.
- Master’s degree in European and Comparative Law, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford (Comparative Human Rights, EU Law, EU as an Actor in International Law, European Employment and Equality Law), 2007.
- Croatian Bar Exam, 2009.
- Master’s degree in International Relations, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb (thesis “Prohibition of racial and ethnic discrimination in the EU”), 2013.
Professional Activities
a) Present
- Ombudswoman (elected by the Croatian Parliament for an eight-year term) 2021-.
- Chair, Executive Board, European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET), 2017-.
- Coordinator, Policy Formation Working Group, EQUINET, 2014-2015.
- Alternate Management Board Member, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
- Visiting lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb (course “Migrations, asylum and foreigners”).
- Lecturer, State School for Civil Servants (programme “Implementation of the Anti-discrimination Act”).
(b) Past work
Primary posts
- Deputy Ombudswoman (elected by the Croatian Parliament for an eight-year term) 2013-2021.
- Coordinator, Non-discrimination field, Office of the Ombudsman, 2008-2013.
- Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration - Independent Service for International Legal Affairs, 2005-2008.
- Civil servant, Ministry of European Integrations, 2003-2005.
Other activities
- Member, Executive Board, European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET), 2011-2017.
- Visiting lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb (course “Anti-discrimination employment and social law”), 2012-2013.
- Member of the Working Group for amendments to the Croatian Anti-discrimination Act, 2012.
- Member of the Evaluation Committee for choosing civil society regional contact points for PROGRESS 2001-2013 programme project “Equally Diverse” (JUST/2011/PROG/AG/1935)
- Deputy Senior Programme Officer (Resident Twinning Advisor (RTA) Counterpart and Leader of the Component 3 “Development of a comprehensive system of assistance to potential victims of discrimination” of IPA 2009 CROATIA project “Establishing a comprehensive system for anti-discrimination protection“ (HR2009-01-36-02).
- Member of the Working Group for amendments of the Croatian Anti-discrimination Act, 2010.
- Representative of the Office of the Ombudsman as the Croatian A status NHRI, 74th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Geneva, 2009.
- Project Coordinator of the PROGRESS 2001-2013 programme project “Supporting the implementation of the Anti-discrimination Act” (VS/2008/0512).
- Member of the Working Group for Anti-discrimination Legislation; member of the Expert Working Group which drafted the Croatian Anti-discrimination Act, 2008.
- Member of the National Committee of the Republic of Croatia for the Council of Europe campaign “Link diversity” as the Representative of Students and Youth, 2001-2002.
- Member of the Steering Committee of the Human Rights Documentation and Training Centre established in Croatia by the OHCHR, 2001-2002.
Publications:
- EU Law in the Fight against Discrimination of Roma in Perspectives of anti-discrimination law (editors Potočnjak, Grgurev, Grgić), Zagreb, 2014.
- Guide for trade unions: How to recognize discrimination in the field of employment and occupation, Zagreb, 2012 (Co-author).
- How to recognize discrimination in the field of employment and occupation: Guide, Zagreb, 2011 (Co-author).
- The Significance of the Directive 2000/43/EC and 2000/78/EC and the Case-law of the ECJ for the Implementation of the Anti-discrimination Act, Zagreb, 2011.
- Have you been discriminated against? Zagreb, 2011.
- How to suppress discrimination? Report on the Implementation of the Anti-discrimination Act in Croatia for 2009 and the Case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, (editor J. Novak) Zagreb, 2010 (Co-author).
- A Guide to the Anti-discrimination Act, Zagreb, 2009 (Co-author and editor).
- Far But Not Far Enough: An Idealist Critique of the Racial Equality Directive in Croatian Yearbook of European Law and Policy Vol. 4, 2008.
- Freedom of Assembly with a Special Accent on Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights in Pravnik No. 75/76, 2003.
- Violence against Women in the Family in Pravnik No. 71/72, 2001.
- Is Male to Female as Culture is to Nature? in Pravnik No. 67/68,1999.
Languages
- Croatian
- English
- German
- French