Center for Women War Victims - ROSA organized international conference dedicated to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The conference was organized on September 22 2016, the National Day Against Violence Against Women.

Croatia signed the Convention on January 21 2013, but has not yet ratified it. With this conference we continued influencing relevant national authorities to ratify the Convention as soon as possible and thus contribute to combating all forms of violence against women.

At the conference, lawyer Sanja Bezbradica Jelavic presented the study "Analysis of the harmonization of Croatian legislation with the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - repeated analysis for 2016."

Former Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor spoke about the role of women in politics in combating violence against women. Kosor pointed out that the ratification did not occur because neither in the previous nor in the one before the previous government there was not a person that would "push" the story on rafification.

Vanja Macanović, representing the European Women's Lobby, presented the work of this organization and the possibility of ratification of the Convention at the EU level and the effects of the ratification of the Member States.

Head of the Office for Gender Equality, Helena Stimac Radin, presented work of the Office in the promotion of the CoE Convention.

Center for Women War Victims - ROSA organized international conference dedicated to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The conference was organized on September 22 2016, the National Day Against Violence Against Women.

Croatia signed the Convention on January 21 2013, but has not yet ratified it. With this conference we continued influencing relevant national authorities to ratify the Convention as soon as possible and thus contribute to combating all forms of violence against women.

At the conference, lawyer Sanja Bezbradica Jelavic presented the study "Analysis of the harmonization of Croatian legislation with the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - repeated analysis for 2016."

Former Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor spoke about the role of women in politics in combating violence against women. Kosor pointed out that the ratification did not occur because neither in the previous nor in the one before the previous government there was not a person that would "push" the story on rafification.

Vanja Macanović, representing the European Women's Lobby, presented the work of this organization and the possibility of ratification of the Convention at the EU level and the effects of the ratification of the Member States.

Head of the Office for Gender Equality, Helena Stimac Radin, presented work of the Office in the promotion of the CoE Convention.
Tanja Ignjatovic from Autonomous Women's Center Belgrade, spoke about situation in Serbia after ratification of the Convention and the possibilities for women's NGOs to use the Convention in their work.

Representatives of non-governmental organizations from Croatia, Neva Tolle and Nela Pamuković, presented the experience in practice of functioning of autonomous women's services to help women and their children survivors of violence, experience of implementation of existing laws and importance of maintaining the autonomy of the work of women's NGOs.

A special focus of the conference was put on decline of women's rights as consequence of the strengthening of conservative elements in the government and greater influence of the Catholic church. The so-called conservative revolution has a negative effect precisely on women's human rights and work of feminist organizations working on preserving women's rights. Great concern was expressed regarding sustainbilty of work of feminist organizations that provide services to women survivors of different forms of male violence and to changes in relevant laws that protect women's human rights. Presented Thesis of new Family Law indicate that amendments to this law are aimed at restricting women's rights and they are significantly conservative.