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Geneva, March 19, 2002



STATEMENT
BY
ŽELJKA ANTUNOVIÆ
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF
THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

TO THE
FIFTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS



Thank you Mr. Chairman, Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honor for me to address this distinguished body on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, which became a new member of the Commission on Human Rights. I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, and the members of the Bureau on your election, and I pledge our full and constructive support for the important work that lies ahead of us. Croatia, as a Coordinator of the Eastern European Group, is very pleased that Poland currently chairs the Commission. Allow me also to extend my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Mary Robinson for her dedicated work as the High Commissioner for Human Rights and we wish her to continue with her constructive approach to the promotion and protection of human rights in many other capacities.

Mr. Chairman,

The world of today is facing various new challenges and global dangers, where all of us have to invest great efforts in order to achieve highest goals in the field of human rights. This is where the Commission has a role to play. Croatian Government remains determined in such pursuit of the policy of full openness to the various mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights.

My Government will continue to enhance the national capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights. For this purpose, it has set up the Human Rights Commission to prepare the National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. In order to confirm its political commitment towards human rights, the Government established an Office for Human Rights. This Office represents a permanent operative body that will provide assistance and coordinate all the human rights activities in Croatia.

Mr. Chairman,

The co-operation between Croatia and the UN in the field of human rights continues through various activities. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Croatia, together with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and European Commission, organized the International Conference on Human Rights and Democratization in Dubrovnik, in October 2001. The aim of the Conference was to review regional co-operation in the field of human rights, among the UN and key regional organizations and to identify possible areas suitable for technical co-operation in Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus. The final document of the Conference, The Dubrovnik Conclusions, provides for such a co-operation in the field of protection of human rights. My Government believes that the Dubrovnik Conference could contribute to a process of better and more consistent exchange of views and co-operation among the international organizations in the field of human rights.

Let me also mention the significance of the successful co-operation between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Government of Croatia, which started in 1999 and has developed successfully ever since. Croatia benefited greatly from the Technical Co-operation Program and believes that by the end of this year the remaining issues from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights mandate would be settled. Further co-operation between Croatia and the UN should be continued through regular conventional mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights.

Mr. Chairman,

On the regional level, Croatia participates in a number of regional initiatives and programs. For example, it takes an active part in the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe, especially trough the activities within Working Table I on Democratization and Human Rights. Croatia also signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with European Community and Its Member States in October 2001. The signing of the Agreement formalized the institutional ties between Croatia and the European Union, where the first political criteria for the membership in the EU is the full respect of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Croatia has ratified most of the UN and European treaties in the field of human rights, whose standards on human rights are largely incorporated in the national legislation. Croatian courts also began to include provisions of the human rights international treaties, as well as judgements of the European Court for Human Rights in their decisions.

Croatia has at the same time devoted its energy to tackle remaining post-war recovery issues, such as people gone missing due to war and the return of refugees. Unfortunately, economic difficulties continue to discourage the return of refugees, the rehabilitation of war-affected areas. There is also a need for enhanced international action in humanitarian demining since civilians and continue to be victims of anti-personnel landmines. The Government would like to raise awareness and funds to facilitate the on-going demining operations and return process in Croatia. International financial aid to this end would be highly useful. Croatia relies upon the crucial role of UNHCR in continuing to advocate assistance for the ongoing return process to and tfrom Croatia, particularly within the Stability Pact. The project of regional refugee returns: Agenda for Regional Action 2001-2003, proved to be one of the most successful undertakings of the Stability Pact, in cooperation with other international organizations, particularly UNHCR.
Another conflict-related issue, which directly reflects on the relations among states in the region, is bringing the perpetrators of war crimes to justice. Croatia welcomes the extradition of Miloševiæ to the ICTY, and views this as an important step by the authorities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in that direction. We hope that the authorities in FRY will continue with this policy in the case of the “Vukovar Three” and all other indicted war criminals.

Mr. Chairman,

Allow me, to add a few remarks on the Durban Conference. In spite of disagreement on the adoption of final documents, the Conference traced the way for further efforts in combating racism and other forms of discrimination. The invitation of Mrs Robinson that we must make Durban a reality, as well as the adoption of the global antidiscrimination agenda as a result of Conference in Durban, is an additional motive in new global circumstances to initiate combat against various forms of discrimination existing worldwide. The Conference indicated the fact that the past efforts in uprooting this scourge were not enough, and that stronger joint activity is needed in order to uproot racism and other forms of discrimination.

We believe that the most important activity in implementing the Durban agenda should be lead at the national level, through national legislation and elaboration of national plans and bodies for combating racism. Education in human rights, with emphasis on uprooting various forms of discrimination, informing young generations on problems in this field, is the best way to raise awareness concerning that issue and prepare our children and youth for new challenges in the future.

Croatia, as part of preparations for the Durban Conference, established a Working Group that will soon be transformed into the National Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination. Croatia also set up an independent Working Group comprised of law professors, whose task is to overview antidiscriminative legislation. Accordingly, Croatia will soon elaborate a National Plan of Action for implementing the recommendations of the Durban Conference.

Finally, Croatia supports the request from the Action Plan of the World Conference against Racism as to the universal ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It has already undertaken some activities to make the declaration specified by Article 14 of the said Convention.

Mr. Chairman,

Croatia strongly supports the recognition of the right of everyone to have conscientious objections to military service as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This Commission should continue calling upon States to review their current laws and practices in relation to conscientious objection to military service. The right to conscientious objection is accommodated in the Croatian national laws.
Additional efforts should be made in regulating anti-torture activities. My Government is supportive of affecting changes in national legislation to assess its compliance with international standards, in particular the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. More specifically, Croatia supports the activities of the Working Group on the Draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture to create independent international preventive machinery to investigate places of detention.

Croatia urges all states to become parties to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, concerning the abolition of the death penalty. Croatia also supported and actively participated in drafting the Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights concerning abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances. Croatia hopes that this Protocol will be widely accepted and send an important signal to all the countries to abolish the death penalty under all circumstances.

Croatia follows with interest the new developments in the further promotion of the economic, social and cultural rights and believes that this session of the Commission may bring additional improvements to this area. After the successful adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the experiences provided by some regional mechanisms, such as the European Social Charter Collective Complaint Procedure, a new space may be found for the discussion on the legal nature of the economic, social and cultural rights.

Mr.Chairman,

In Croatia, we are still witnessing the consequences of the war and its tragic influence on many children. Thus, the Government endorses the importance of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and welcomes the forthcoming New York Special Session on Children in May 2002. We are happy to witness that the two optional protocols on children are in force and I am very pleased to announce that my Government has decided to ratify both protocols.
Furthermore, the National Human Rights Education Committee of the Government of Croatia developed the National Program on Human Rights Education. The National Plan and Program for Primary and Secondary Schools, has included this Program, as an integral part of the regular school curriculum.
Croatia, as a party to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, has strengthened commitments to its full implementation by ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention. Furthermore, recent changes of the Croatian Constitution explicitly included gender equality as one of the highest values of the constitutional order.

On the basis of the Outcome Document of the Special Session Beijing + 5, the Governmental Commission for Gender Equality, together with NGOs dealing with gender issues, has prepared a new National Policy for the Promotion of Gender Equality for the period 2001-2005. Consequently, an Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Policy also has been approved. One of the immediate priorities is drafting of the Law on Gender Equality, which we expect to be finished during this year. Another priority involving these establishments is preparation of the National Strategy for Combating all Forms of Violence against Women.

Trafficking of women and children is another issue of great importance we are dealing with, where we are taking steps towards development of a national strategy for combating this kind of human rights violations. Croatia lies on one of the routes for trafficking in persons with potential threat to become also a destination country. Bearing this in mind, the Government is working on the establishment of the National Committee to combat trafficking in persons.

Mr. Chairman,

Furthermore, Croatia has already clearly shown its readiness to join the global struggle against terrorism. Croatia believes that respect for human rights and freedoms should be ensured in the legitimate fight against international terrorism. The fight against terrorism represents a fight for every individual, community, peoples and way to live in harmony with one another.

I am confident that the UN Commission on Human Rights will, within its fields of competence, offer proper answers to the present challenges and with renewed confidence and vitality lead our common efforts in the promotion of human rights, international peace, stability, security and overall social and economic development.

To conclude Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, challenges to promote and protect human rights are tremendous. Croatia recognizes the indispensable role of the UN Commission on Human Rights to fight the challenges and terrors of today. We are confident that the importance of human rights will further advance in the spirit of universal human values present in every religion, culture and civilization.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.