- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2023
Implementing the Barnahus Model in Croatia
The European Commission supported Croatia in implementing the Barnahus model, a multidisciplinary and inter-agency service for child victims of sexual violence aiming to coordinate criminal and child welfare investigation in a child-friendly manner. The project which benefited from the financial support of the European Commission enhanced professional capacities, consolidated the legal and policy framework, and raised public awareness.
Context
Croatia faced significant challenges in protecting child victims of sexual violence, including multiple pre-trial interviews causing re-traumatisation, lengthy procedural delays, lack of coordinated inter-agency responses, and insufficient child-friendly justice infrastructure. The project aligned in particular with EU Directives on Child Sexual Abuse (2011/92/EU) and Victims' Rights (2012/29/EU), supporting Croatia's justice system modernisation under EU policy priorities. Key challenges included fragmented services across juvenile courts, inadequate information-sharing and coordination mechanisms, territorial disparities between Zagreb and regions, and previous failed attempts to establish integrated child protection centres due to insufficient political and financial support.
Support delivered
The project co-funded by EU and implemented by the Council of Europe, in partnership with the Croatian Ministry of Justice, began with a legal and policy assessment which led to the preparation of an interagency protocol and a draft law. It supported a training gap analysis followed by the adaptation and tutoring of the HELP course on protecting children from sexual violence. A roadmap with a cost analysis, guidelines on spatial and organisational coordination, and a change management plan provided tailored and practical tools. The survey on perceptions of child sexual abuse, information material in Croatian, and study visits reinforced awareness raising.
Results achieved
The project successfully initiated the establishment of a comprehensive legal and policy framework for a Croatian Barnahus through a detailed roadmap, a cost analysis, spatial guidelines and a draft law. The capacities of 61 professionals were enhanced through tutored HELP courses. Public and professional awareness increased through the survey on child sexual abuse perceptions, the large dissemination of awareness-raising materials in Croatian, and several public events with stakeholders. These project achievements position Croatia to deliver improved child-friendly justice services, reduce re-traumatisation through coordinated multidisciplinary and interagency responses, and ensure child victims benefit from timely and specialised protection.
More about the project
You can read the documents related to the project here: