"On 4 February 2026, the Council of Europe – European Union joint project “Implementing the Barnahus model in Croatia”, re-launched the Croatian version of the HELP course on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. The event in Zagreb marked the start of a second tutored training cycle, further reinforcing efforts to safeguard children’s rights in Croatia.
Adapted to Croatia’s legal system with the support of the Croatian Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation and the Croatian Judicial Academy, the HELP course aims to strengthen capacities of professionals working for and with children. It supports Croatia’s commitment to establishing the Barnahus – a leading European response model to child sexual abuse that coordinates parallel criminal and child welfare investigations, with all relevant services under one roof, to prevent secondary victimisation of children..
Since its initial launch on 8 October 2025, a first group of 22 legal professionals, including court advisors, judges, and prosecutors from county and municipal courts across Croatia, successfully completed the course. Participants reported improvements in their practical ability to protect children’s rights at the national level.
At the re-launch event, the first cohort received certificates and provided feedback, highlighting practical changes inspired by the training. They also shared insights with a new cohort of 40 legal and non-legal professionals from across the country, who will benefit from a three-month personalised training, combining international and national standards with practical Croatian case studies.
The training aims to:
- Enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals to detect, respond to, and prevent child sexual abuse in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, and rights-based manner.
- Promote better co-ordination across sectors involved in child protection — ensuring that legal, medical, and social responses are aligned and mutually reinforcing
- Encourage the consistent and effective application of international standards, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention), across all relevant institutions in Croatia.
- Promote a child rights-based culture where children's voices and best interests are at the centre of every decision.
In her welcoming address, Ana Kordej, Acting Director at the Croatian Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation, reiterated Croatia’s commitment to opening future Barnahus units. Government and project representatives further stressed the importance of the training in safeguarding children’s rights. The significance of the Lanzarote Convention and the recommendations of the Lanzarote Committee for Croatia were also highlighted."
Link to the platform: HELP
Source : Conseil de l'Europe