Compared with other countries that comprised the former Yugoslavia, Croatia is relatively unified in religious and cultural terms. Moreover, its history and traditions tie it closely to countries in Western Europe. As a result, Croatian society is quite modern and women live under relatively favourable conditions.
Croatian men and women have equal rights within the family. The minimum legal age for marriage is 18 years for both men and women, and both spouses must give their free consent before being married. Under exceptional circumstances, the courts can authorise marriage from the age of 16 years. Statistics show that the average age of marriage has been increasing since 1980 and is now much higher than 18 years. In fact, early marriage appears to be infrequent: a 2004 United Nations report estimated that only 2 per cent of girls between 15 and 19 years of age were married, divorced or widowed. Weddings can be civil or religious ceremonies, and both have the same legal recognition. Polygamy is prohibited in Croatia.
Under Croatia’s marriage laws, mothers and fathers share parental authority and must mutually support each other. They have equal rights in making family decisions, including where to live and work, and equal responsibility for educating their children. In the event of divorce, parents remain equally responsible for raising their children. The law helps to protect divorced women by stipulating that each spouse automatically receives half the property acquired during the marriage.
Croatian women and men have the same inheritance rights.
The physical integrity of Croatian women is well protected and the government has taken concrete steps to address the issue of violence against women. Croatia recently developed a legal framework to penalise domestic violence, according to a legal definition established in 1999; the crime is punishable by two months in prison. Several related measures have also been implemented, including better protection for the victim and psycho-social rehabilitation for the perpetrator, who is forbidden to approach the victim. Before these laws were passed, police had no legal authority on which to arrest offenders: their intervention was limited to protecting victims. The government has also established a network of shelters across the country to provide refuge to the victims of domestic violence.
Rape, including spousal rape, is a crime in Croatia, and is punishable by three to ten years in prison; the sentence increases to 15 years if the victim is a minor or if she dies. NGOs in Croatia say many women who are subjected to rape or other forms of sexual violence abandon the idea of pressing charges for fear of social stigma or because they feel the police, health and judicial authorities lack experience in dealing with such cases. These NGOs also criticise some courts for passing sentences that are too lenient. Sexual harassment, including in the workplace, is prohibited by law in Croatia.
There is no evidence to suggest that female genital mutilation is practised in Croatia nor that it is a country of concern in relation to missing women.
Croatian women have the same ownership rights as men. There are no restrictions on their access to land and their access to property other than land. Furthermore, men and women have the same rights to enter into contracts. Married women retain full ownership of property they acquired before marriage or received through inheritance or as a gift, and have the right to manage this property independently.
Women in Croatia have access to bank loans on the same terms as men.
The civil liberties of women in Croatia are well respected; there are no reported restrictions on their freedom of movement or freedom of dress.
CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women) (1995), Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Croatia, Initial Periodic Report of States Parties, CEDAW, New York, NY.
CEDAW (2003), Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Croatia, Combined Second and Third Periodic Reports of States Parties, CEDAW, New York, NY.
US Department of State (2007), Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Croatia, US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Washington, DC.
UN (United Nations) (2004), World Fertility Report 2003, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, New York, NY.
