Minister Grabar-Kitarović during official visit to Canada participated at World Child Forum

In her speech, Minister Grabar-Kitarović expressed satisfaction with her participation in the celebration of the National Child Day and the activities of promoting and raising the public’s awareness of children’s rights in our societies and beyond. She pointed out that 20 November marks the International Child Day, as well as the anniversary of two of the most important international documents on the protection of children and their rights – the UN Declaration and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which, despite its having created a framework for the protection of children’s rights, is still only a vision and not reality for many children around world.

In the past 5 years, said Minister Grabar-Kitarović, the Republic of Croatia has undertaken comprehensive national reforms in the field of children’s rights, presenting the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence and the autonomous institution of the Ombudsperson for Children, whose duty is to safeguard the interests and welfare of children, promote their rights, and issue recommendations, warnings and initiatives. In 2006, the Croatian Government endorsed a comprehensive National Action Plan for Children’s Rights and Interests for 2006-2012 period.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović pointed out that Croatia participated in the UN Secretary General’s Study on Violence against Children, presented to the General Assembly last December. The study produced a global document focused on violence against children and identified the goal of educating nations, communities and national institutions that violence against children is unacceptable in any society and that it is a violation of children's rights. Croatia’s legislative and practical frameworks already reflect the recommendations of the study and we have ratified key international instruments in the field of children’s rights. Moreover, as a result of the efforts to protect children, said Minister Grabar-Kitarović, the Republic of Croatia is among only 16 countries in the world with a legal prohibition against corporal punishment.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović stressed that through the UNICEF Office in Croatia, the Government of Croatia is working with non-governmental organizations to raise awareness about violence against and among children at home and at school through educational programs such as the national "Stop Violence among Children" campaign, launched in more than 220 schools throughout Croatia.