On 8 October 2024, a round table was held in Zagreb to present the first results of the joint European Union - Council of Europe project “Implementing the Barnahus model in Croatia”.
The round table marked a significant step forward as two critical analyses prepared by national experts were presented and discussed:
- Legal and policy analysis which examines Croatia’s current legal framework and provides specific recommendations for its alignment with the future establishment of the Barnahus model in Croatia,
- Training gap analysis which assesses the readiness and capacity of professionals working with and for child victims and witnesses of sexual abuse.
More than 95 professionals working with and for child victims and witnesses of sexual violence participated in the event, sharing their insights on the main findings and recommendations of the analyses. These aim to further strengthen the legal framework, particularly in terms of child-friendly justice, inter-agency cooperation and ensure that children's voices are heard and respected in legal proceedings. The analyses also identified the challenges related to the education and training of professionals, suggesting concrete ways to better coordinate the development and evaluation of training programmes. The participants’ feedback will be taken into account in the drafting of a strategic roadmap for implementing the Barnahus model in Croatia, and a future inter-agency agreement to be developed by the project as a next step.
Additionally, a video showcasing the Barnahus in Iceland and a leaflet outlining the functioning and standards of the model - both translated into Croatian - were officially presented. These materials were made available to all the participants, including the representatives of the agencies involved in the future implementation of Barnahus.
Video on the Barnahus model in Iceland (Croatian version)
What is Barnahus (Croatian version)
Training gap analysis: Presentation of the methodology, the results and the recommendations
Calls for Tenders
