a. To ensure effective protection of children in the cases of violation of their rights;
b. To influence the representatives of parliamentary and executive authorities to take child rights into consideration when making decisions;
c. To promote the acknowledgment of children’s opinions and attitudes;
d. To inform adults and children on child rights.
The Ombudsman for Children:
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monitors the coordination of the laws and other regulations in the Republic of Croatia, concerned with the protection of the rights and interests of children, with the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other international documents concerned with the protection of the rights and interests of children; the fulfilment of the obligations of the Republic of Croatia arising from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international documents concerned with the protection of the rights and interests of children; the implementation of all regulations concerned with the protection of the rights and interests of children; and the the violation of individual rights of children and studies general occurences and manners of violation of the rights and interests of children;
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makes efforts towards protection and promotion of the rights and interests of disabled children; proposes undertaking of measures intented for the creation of the coherent system of protection and promotion of the rights and interests of children and for the prevention of harmful activites jeopardizing the rights and interests of children;
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informs the public on the state of the children's rights; informs and advises children on the manner of the realization and protection of their rights and interests; cooperates with children; encourages children to declare themselves and respects their opinion; initiates and participates in public activities oriented towards improvement of the position of children; and proposes measures for the enhancement of the influence of children in the society;
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can take part in the procedure of the preparation of the draft proposals of the regulations concerned with the rights of children or those regulating important issues for children, and may give impetus for the adoption or change of the laws and other regulations concerned with the rights and protection of children.
The Ombudsman for Children is authorized to:
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warn, give proposals and recommendations in respect to promoting and protecting children's rights and interests. State administration bodies, local and regional administration units, as well as corporation and natural persons, have the obligation to cooperate with the Ombudsman for Children and submit reports upon his/her demand, give answers to his/her inquiries, and report immediately, latest within 15 days period, to the Ombudsman for Children on performed activities concerning his/her warning, proposal or recommendation;
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should the bodies and corporation persons fail to act in accordance with his/her demand within prescribed period of time, the Ombudsman for Children will inform the body in charge of monitoring their work about it;
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access and insight into all data, information and files concerned with the rights and protection of children, disregarding their level of secrecy, and is entitled to the right of entering the premises and of getting the insight into the manner of the performance of care for children who are placed or are temporarily, i.e. permanently accommodated with government institutions, natural and corporation persons, religious communities and other legal entities on the basis of specific regulations;
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if during the performance of his/her duties, find out that a child is being subject to physical or mental violence, sexual abuse, maltreatment or exploitation, negligence or careless treatment, he/she will immediately lodge a report about it to the competent General Attorney Office, and warn competent center for social welfare and suggest the measures for the protection of the rights and interests of the child;
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require expert assistance of the scientists and specialists and scientific and expert institutions competent for the research, protection, care, development and rights of children, and they have the obligation to provide such assistance;
The Ombudsman for Children is an independent body and can not be called to account, put into custody or be punished for the expression of an opinion or performed activities within the competence of his/her work, except in case of committing the violation of law which in its extent equals to a criminal offence.
The Ombudsman for Children submits annual report about his work to the Croatian National Parliament, but is also entitled to the right to submit special reports to the Croatian National Parliament in cases in case when he/she considers it to be neccessary, with the goal of implementation of important measures for the protection of the rights and interests of children.
