Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Croatia (Ratification: 1991)

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Articles 2 and 3 of the Convention. Gender equality and promotion of women’s access to employment and occupation. The Committee takes note of the indication in the Government’s report that: (1) the project “Women in the Labour Market” was implemented from 2011 to 2012; (2) from 2017 to 2021, more than half of the persons employed through the Croatian Employment Service (CES) were women; (3) in 2021, more than half of participants in CES education and training programmes were women; (4) 30 per cent of participants to CES programmes were employed within 6 months after their completion; (5) in 2021, women represented 47.6 per cent of the active population and the number of women and men in the structure of civil servants was approximately equal; and (6) the National Gender Equality Plan 2023-2027 and the corresponding Action Plan 2023-2024 were adopted. The Committee also observes that the study “How are EU rules transposed into national law? Gender Equality: Country report - Croatia”, published by the European Commission in 2022, points to a lack of adequate protection against non-hiring, non-renewal of a fixed-term contract, and non-continuation of a contract for women who are pregnant and/or have given birth (pages 46–50). In this respect, while the Committee acknowledges that the extinction of fixed-term contracts at the end of the specified period is in their very nature, any difference in the renewal of such contracts or the initial determination of their duration that are based on the maternity, real or potential, of the worker, are discriminatory. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on: (i) the results achieved under the current National Gender Equality Plan and its action plan to promote that women access, progress and remain in employment and occupation; (ii) measures adopted to ensure that the reasons for the non-renewal of fixed-term jobs held by women are genuine and not linked to maternity; and (iii) the number and proportion of women and men in the labour force by sector of activity.

Equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation of the Roma. The Government informs that: (1) 0.45 per cent of the total population is Roma and there were 3,534 unemployed Roma people in 2021; (2) the CES carried out a number of activities to support the employability of Roma people, including information and counselling initiatives, forums on self-employment, contacts between employment counsellors and employers, and other employment policy interventions to encourage employment, self-employment, education and the inclusion of Roma people; (3) the implementation reports on the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2013-2020 for 2016, 2017 and 2018 are available, the latter pointing, among others, to a positive shift and a noticeable decline in the recorded number of unemployed members of the Roma minority; (4) the National Plan for Roma Inclusion 2021-2027 and the corresponding Action Plan 2021-2022 encompass measures to support first work experiences, employment, apprenticeships and career development, access to training, and the acquisition of skills in information and communication technology; and (5) the Operational Programmes of National Minorities 2017-2020 and 2021-2024 include measures to prevent discrimination against national minorities, particularly Roma people. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on: (i) the main findings of the implementation reports of the National Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2013-2020; and (ii) the measures adopted under the current National Plan for Roma Inclusion 2021-2027 and their impact in promoting equality of opportunity and treatment of Roma people in employment and occupation. The Committee asks again the Government to inform about the measures adopted to ensure access to education, including pre-school education, for Roma children without discrimination.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.