By protesting in front of the Ministry of Health and Social Care youth is demanding for establishment of Counceling services for young people on sexual and reproductive health
We continually advocate for a sex education in schools respecting human rights and warn on the lack of information on sexual and reproductive health in the formal education system. We have designed an experimental program of gender/sex education for pupils of secondary schools and produced several manuals for working with young people. Also, we advocate for the opening of youth-friendly clinics and counseling centers for youth. We have created a manual for advocacy in the field of sexual rights of youth "Sex na EX."
Website "SEZAM - Sexual Education for Youth" www.sezamweb.net provides complete and reliable information about the complex issues related to sexuality, dating violence and the protection of their rights and allows them to anonymously ask questions. SEZAM has, at the EMC festival "Media and Health", held under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, won first prize in 2002. Our associates conducted workshops in secondary schools on sexual and reproductive health. So far, 21 600 young people were trained through workshops.
TV clip "Parenthood is not a game" draws attention to the problem of teenage pregnancy, but from the perspective of a 16-year-old who becomes a father. The video was broadcasted on all three national TV stations and has been included in the official competition in the category of Specialty Film at the 19th Days of Croatian Film.
The final festival of the "Silence is not golden" project
We are the first organization in Croatia, and probably among the first in the region, which has systematically dealt with sensitizing young people to issues of gender and prevention of violence in adolescent relationships. Using our own experience and theoretical knowledge, and the results of our studies were the first on this topic in Croatia, we have developed programs for youth and training of trainers and published manuals which are intended for all those who work with young people,. The manuals are being used inCroatia,Bosnia,Serbia,Macedonia,Montenegro andBulgaria.
Training of trainers plays an important role in the dissemination of knowledge, skills and values and we have, therefore, devised a program, and educated about 500 experts in the region. At this moment we have a network of over sixty educators in institutions of formal education throughout Croatian. Besides adult educators, peer educators also participate in the education.
We are working to integrate gender perspective in programs to prevent violence among youth through various activities. We have received support of the Ombudsman for Children, relevant ministries and government agencies, parliamentary committees dealing with children and youth and gender equality. We seek sanctioning of violence in adolescent relationships and together with the ombudsman for children, advocate for misdemeanor sanctions relating to the protection from domestic violence, as provided by the Law on the Prevention of Violence in the Family Relationships, also apply for the violence in the adolescent relationships.
The "Silence is not Golden" project was aimed to develop an awareness of gender-based violence, and was realized in cooperation with the association O.M.G. It received Erste Bank international award for social integration in 2009 inBucharest. ERSTE award recognized this as an innovative project that brings about positive social change and encourages a stable, safe and just society with equal opportunities for all.
The campaign was based on the results of CESI research and aims to educate the public, especially young people about the different types of violence that constitute gender-based violence, and was marked the TV clips that were aired for about a year on national television. The videos were shown 627 times on Croatian National TV and 116 times on RTL. The total value of free of charge TV and radio space is estimated at some 2.3 million EUR. This campaign has sent a message that violence in relationships can not be tolerated and that was heard by as much as 91% of young people inCroatia
Program was supported by public figures who have volunteered in and promoted various events, like Luka Nizetic, Ida Prester and Iva Sulentic.
CESI at a meeting in Bangkok: Men and gender equality policies
We develop and participate in international projects related to areas of our work. Our goal is to share the experience, knowledge and good practices to with other organizations that advocate for the realization of women's human rights at national, European and international level
Conscious of the need of joint action, we joined various national and international networks and initiatives. Actively participate in developing strategies, managing projects and activities and to involvement in actions and campaigns at national and international level.
So far, we have participated in many international projects of which we highlight DAPHNE program, within which we are participated in developing international educational program for the prevention of violence in adolescent relationships as well as in other international projects under the Grundtvig Programme of the European Union.
Our long-standing commitment and work on the issue of sex education has been recognized beyond the borders of Croatia, where we participate in advocating for reproductive and sexual health and rights.
Cooperation with various organizations in South East Europe is important to us, thus a project "Šalji dalje" ensured the dissemination of knowledge and good practice in working with young people on the topic of gender-based violence and its implementation in Serbia. 19 trainers were educated and they implemented training activities for 1037 young people throughout Serbia.
The study, "Men and gender equality" is the first study of men which we have undertaken as a part of an international research conducted by International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) in the USA and the Instituto Promundo from Brazil. The study provides answers to questions about what men think and do. The results represent the basis for shaping public policies and programs aimed at strengthening equality between women and men through their alliance.
In early 2007 we initiated the establishment of Citizens Coalition STOP HIGH-RISK SEXUAL EDUCATION by bringing together over 170 organizations and individuals. The coalition managed to stop a unsuccessful public policy for reproductive and sexual health and rights of children and young people that was conducted by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
In cooperation with the organization Interights from London and the Center for Reproductive Rights from New York, CESI filed a collective complaint to the European Committee of Social Rights against the Republic of Croatia because of support and attempts to impose discriminatory and scientifically inaccurate abstinence sex education program in schools. This is the first time that an international body of human Rights considered a complaint on the issue of sex education in schools and articulated detailed standards on the obligation of countries to provide accurate and scientifically accurate sex education. European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), found that the Croatian curriculum, which limitedly covers sex education, is discriminatory against persons on grounds of sexual orientation.
