Višnja Ljubičić has served as the Gender Equality Ombudsperson since 2011, with her mandate renewed in 2019. A graduate of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, her career spans a broad range of work in human rights, international humanitarian law, and gender equality, both within national institutions and international organizations such as the EU, UN, and the Council of Europe. Ljubičić has contributed extensively to Croatia’s EU accession process, particularly in Chapter 19 concerning "Anti-Discrimination" and "Gender Equality." She is also the author of numerous academic and professional papers and has been a long-time contributor to the development of legal frameworks related to gender equality and anti-discrimination.
During her lecture, Ombudsperson Ljubičić presented the work of the Office of the Ombudsperson for Gender Equality, which monitors the implementation of laws and regulations related to gender equality and addresses citizen complaints regarding discrimination based on gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and other fundamental rights. In addition to sharing national statistics, Ljubičić elaborated on the challenges in implementing the constitutional principle of gender equality and provided recommendations for improving current practices and addressing existing barriers to achieving equal opportunities.
The lecture provided attendees with insights into current initiatives and activities in the field of gender equality, emphasizing the importance of education and raising awareness on this critical societal issue. Prior to the lecture, a meeting was held with FOI Board members and the FOI Gender Equality Commission. The meeting was attended by Ombudsperson Ljubičić; Mladenka Morović, Head of General Affairs at the Ombudswoman’s Office; FOI’s Vice Dean for Research, Projects and International Cooperation, Assoc. Prof. Martina Tomičić Furjan, Ph.D.; Vice Dean for Study Programs, Full Prof. Zlatko Erjavec, Ph.D.; Full Prof. Violeta Vidaček Hainš, Ph.D., Chair of the Gender Equality Commission; Assoc. Prof. Zrinka Lacković Vincek, Ph.D.; Damir Vučić, PhD, Commission members; and Faculty Secretary Tatjana Zrinski, univ. spec. iur. The meeting served as an opportunity to exchange ideas and plan future activities as part of FOI’s Gender Equality Plan for the 2023–2030 period.
FOI Gender Equality Plan Implementation Committee
- Full Prof. Violeta Vidaček Hainš, PhD
- Assoc. Prof. Zrinka Lacković Vincek, PhD
- Damir Vučić, PhD