Gender Equality Ombudswoman (Pravobraniteljica za ravnopravnost poslova)

In 2003, upon the proposal of the Croatian Government, the first Gender Equality Ombudsperson was appointed by the Croatian Parliament. Gender Equality Ombudsperson performs the tasks of an independent body in charge of combating discrimination in the field of gender equality.The responsibilities of the ombusperson for gender equality include:1. receiving complaints from any natural persons or legal entities regarding discrimination in the area of gender equality; 2. providing assistance to natural and legal persons who filed a complaint of sexual discrimination when instituting legal proceedings; 3. taking steps to investigate individual complaints prior to the legal proceedings; 4. conducting, with the consent of the parties involved, a mediation process with a possibility to reach an out-of court settlement; 5. collecting and analysing statistical data on cases of sexual discrimination; 6. conducting independent surveys concerning discrimination, publishing independent reports and exchanging available information with corresponding European bodies.The Gender Equality Ombudswoman acts in an independent manner, monitors the enforcement of the Gender Equality Law and other regulations on gender equality and reports to the Croatian Parliament at least once a year.The Gender Equality Ombudsperson invastigates cases of infringement of the principle of gender equality, cases of discrimination against individuals or groups of individuals by public bodies, units of local or regional self-government or other bodies with public authority, by employees of these bodies or other legal or natural persons.