New generation of young advisers working with the Croatian Ombudsman for Children

Eurochild member Ombudsman for Children in Croatia welcomes a new generations of young advisors which will be engaged as their counsellors, associates and ambassadors in the country.

The Office of the Ombudsman for Children in Croatia protects, monitors and promotes the rights and interests of children in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, international treaties, legally binding acts of the European Union and laws. Pursuant to the provisions of the Ombudsman for Children Act, it cooperates with children, encourages children to express themselves and respects their opinions, initiates and participates in public activities aimed at improving the position of children and proposes measures to increase the influence of children in society.

In addition to this, the Office of Ombudsman for Children has the Network of Young Advisers to the Ombudsperson for Children – NYA (in Croatian: Mreža mladih savjetnika - MMS), a permanent advisory body that has been active since 2010, as well as the Youth Forum (YF) 16+ since 2021. Children apply for the NYA/YF 16+ membership on their own, through a public competition. They are chosen by the former members with the help of the expert team of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children with the intention to achieve the representation of children from all parts of Croatia, with different backgrounds and from a variety of living conditions and situations.

The members of the NYA/YF 16+ are counsellors, associates and ambassadors of the Ombudsman, who pass on information to their peers about the work of the NYA/YF 16+ and the Ombudsman and introduce them to children's rights and their protection. Within their advisory role, they acquaint the Ombudsman with their views on the position of children in society, with the problems that children face in the environments in which they live and suggest ways to solve them.

They exercise their advisory role in direct contact with the Ombudsman and the expert team of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children and through a closed electronic forum, where they exchange opinions. Each member represents their own opinion and they represent themselves, not some group, their school or city. NYA/YF 16+ members are permanently active in the forum discussions, which is important for maintaining the continuity of the exchange of views between meetings.

Apart from their e-forum, they also communicate through the WhatsApp group, some of them are active in initiatives of UNICEF, Eurochild and the European Commission which are aimed at children's participation, and they express their opinion to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on the Periodic Report on rights of the child in the Republic of Croatia, submitted by the state.

In their evaluations, the NYA/YF 16+ members recognize their participation in these networks as a place where they can discuss children's problems, where adults listen and respect them, where they are encouraged to speak but also to listen and respect others. Their message to other children is: Let your voice be heard! Take the opportunity to express your opinion and don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and make a change – there is always someone who will hear you!

For further information you can contact Davorka Osmak Franjić at davorka.osmakf@dijete.hr or Danijela Žagar at danijela.zagar@dijete.hr.