United Nations Women's Rights Committee Issues Concluding Observations on Croatia

21 July 2005

The Committee on the Elimination of the Discrimination against Women issued its concluding observations on Croatia at its thirty-second session in January 2005. The Committee noted with concern that:

"29. Roma women remain in a vulnerable and marginalized situation, especially in regard to education, employment, health, and participation in public life and decision-making. The Committee is also concerned about Roma women's difficulties in the enjoyment in practice of citizenship rights, in accordance with article 9 of the Convention."

In its recommendations the Committee requested "the State party to take effective measures to eliminate discrimination against Roma women, both in society at large and within their communities, and to enhance respect for their human rights through effective and proactive measures, including temporary special measures". The Committee additionally requested that:

"30. […]the State party provide, in its next periodic report, a comprehensive picture of the situation of Roma women and girls, including data disaggregated by sex, in regard to their educational opportunities and achievements, access to employment and health-care services, and participation in public life and decision-making, especially in regard to policies that directly affect them. The Committee requests the State party to ensure equality for Roma women in the enjoyment of citizenship rights. The Committee invites the State party to monitor the situation of Roma women and provide an assessment of the impact of its policy and programmatic measures in support of Roma women in its next report."

Full text of the CEDAW report and its recommendations. To view the ERRC’s Shadow Report regarding the situation of Romani women in Croatia submitted to CEDAW please visit http://www.errc.org/uploads/upload_en/file/00/E2/m000000E2.doc.

(ERRC)