ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the Croatian historical background of gender equality protection and how women were protected before the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. It introduces the legal and policy framework concerning gender equality. The chapter considers changes in Croatian law and their applicability to women's lives. It discusses how Croatian equality legislation has changed under the influence of the European Union, whether the new laws are sufficient, and to what extent the international gender equality concept is applied. The chapter also explores how the concept of gender equality is mainstreamed through the most relevant documents and how it is understood by relevant stakeholders and practitioners. It declares the deficiencies in the existing legal and policy framework and how they might be overcome. The chapter further analyzes the practice of the national equality body and national courts in cases of gender discrimination. It explores whether international and European gender equality concepts are different from those existing in Croatia.
