Statement of Croatia

Croatia’s continued engagement in the area of women and peace and security rests on our firm belief that the full realization of women’s rights is an indispensable basis for safeguarding basic human rights and achieving lasting peace and security. Croatia has therefore taken steps to integrate the gender perspective into the national foreign and security policy through its national policy for the promotion of gender equality and its first national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). One of the most important results of the first national action plan cycle has been an increased level of awareness of the role of women in the area of peace and security and the more effective integration of the gender perspective into our foreign and security policy and actions. In the national security sector, the gender perspective has also been strengthened with an increased number of women involved in the activities of the security system, including intelligence agencies and their increased presence at the decision-making level.