Summative and formative evaluation of UNICEF CO program component “Strengthening justice system in matters involving child victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings” in Croatia

From 2012 to 2016, UNICEF CO Croatia supported the Croatian government through the implementation of the program “Alliances for equity and social inclusion of the most vulnerable children”. One of the program’s components aims to strengthen the justice system in matters involving child victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings. This component is the one that is being evaluated (hereafter “the program component”). Although the implementation of the program component ended in 2016, new activities in the field of child-friendly justice are planned as part of the 2017-2021 UNICEF Country Program Document (CPD).

This report is the summative and formative external evaluation of the program component. The evaluation purposes are to determine whether the program component has improved the justice system in matters involving child victims and witnesses in criminal proceedings, and to draw up concrete recommendations on key components for future programming. In addition, the report aims to serve as a source of information for the MoJ to support its future programming and policy, for the Ombudsman for Children to strengthen its monitoring and advocacy efforts, and for UNICEF. Considering that the evaluation is conducted concurrently with discussions on the 2017-2021 CPD, the evaluation will provide key information and recommendations to guide the Government’s and UNICEF’s efforts in the field of justice for children for the next five years.