The public discussion was held within the project which has been implemented with the financial support from UNHCR, the Town of Slavonski Brod, Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities, and Ministry of Justice, with the aim of strengthening relations significant for an empowerment of Roma population for use available legal mechanisms in order to achieve and protect their rights.

Guests at the public discussion were Zdenka Bosnjak, President of the County Committee for Gender Equality and Marina Baric Gacic,  IPC legal adviser.

Mrs. Bosnjak explained to all present the function of the County Committee for Gender Equality which is advisory authority with 4 years mandate. The committee act in the entire area of Brod-Posavina County, and whoever thinks that their rights are violated can refer to them for advice and assistance. The Committee will register their complaints and address them to the competent institution for exercising their rights.

In order to decrease the gap between men and women, and achieve better gender equality, Committee's task is organising public discussions, educations and public awareness campaigns. The Committee gives special emphasis to Roma population, or more precisely to Roma women, because they belong to endangered groups.

Besides, great attention has been dedicated to education of Roma children because it was noticed that they do  not know sufficiently Croatian language, thus they are in unequal position with other no-Roma children when they start the school. The Committee may assist in organising additional classes of Croatian language for Roma children, and all with the aim to be in equal position with other children, as far as knowledge of the language and following classes.

As a positive example. Mrs. Bosnjak highlighted the role of the Committee in opening the safe house for women, victims of family violence in Slavonski Brod.

Marina Baric-Gacic mentioned that RoC has good legislative framework because we have laws that guarantee gender equality and proclaime discrimination, but the formal legislative norms sometimes are not implemented in the practice so the citizens severely exercise and exhibit their rights. She indicated which area of discrimination are regulated with the laws and how Roma population is indeed exposed to discrimination, but might not even be aware of it.

If individual esteems that he/she  is being discriminated, i.e. some of their rights were violated, he/she may refer to the competent authorities in RoC that exist in order to protect and assist citizens, among rest to Ombudsman for Gender Equality, and the Ombudsman Office to whom  can be submitted anonymous official complaints concerning violation of human rights or report of any other form of discrimination. These institutions are obliged by official duty to investigate each complaint and to take all the legal steps necessary if it is shown that their requests are justified.

Furthermore, the citizens can request judicial protection – file a lawsuit to the Municipal Court if they consider that they are being discriminated by some of the basis set forth in the law.

In the end, she invited all the citizens who need primary legal assistance to address IPC office where they will be provided with general legal information or free legal assistance.