To better reach the local audience, the third edition of Portraits of Strength was translated into Croatian. The exhibition was first launched and displayed at Human Rights House Zagreb. In collaboration with local human rights defenders and their organisations, exhibitions and panel discussions were also co-organised in Osijek and Split—Croatia’s two largest cities after the capital, both of which have seen a concerning slowdown in civil society engagement in recent years, according to Human Rights House Zagreb.
In Osijek, the exhibition was hosted at Social Atelier, a community space run by Dkolektiv, a long-standing partner organisation of Human Rights House Zagreb. In Split, it was held at the Marko Marulić Central City Library, in partnership with MoSt, a local civil society organisation.
In addition to the exhibitions, advocacy events were held in both Osijek and Split. The gatherings focused on the challenges and experiences of human rights defenders in their local communities. All speakers were women actively engaged in advancing human rights in Croatia—some for decades. They included women human rights defenders (WHRDs) working on the protection of migrants and refugees, support for civilian victims of the 1990s wars, advocacy for the homeless and people struggling with addiction, and the defence of women facing domestic and gender-based violence. Local government representatives who work closely with civil society actors to strengthen civic space and human rights were also present.
The events provided a rare and valuable opportunity for reflection and discussion—not only on the issues raised in the exhibition from countries like Georgia, Ukraine, and Belarus, but also on the current state of civil society and the situation of women human rights defenders in Croatia.
Tina Đaković, Organisation and program coordinator at Human Rights House Zagreb.
Organisers shared that these exchanges opened space for dialogue on the specific obstacles faced by WHRDs in local contexts, while connecting them to broader national and EU-level concerns about shrinking civic space. They also laid the groundwork for future cooperation and joint initiatives aimed at strengthening civil society and advancing human rights across Croatia and the wider region.
The exhibition of the third edition of Portraits of Strength in local language and panel discussions in Croatia were organised by Human Rights House Zagreb with the support of Human Rights House Foundation. This was made possible thanks to the generous financial support of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
