HPC - Croatian Law Centre (Hrvatski pravni centar)

Croatian Law Centre (CLC, Hrvatski pravni centar) is a non-governmental and not-profit organization founded in 1994 with the main goal to establish and promote rule of law in Croatia. Since its establishment CLC acts as an independent think-thank, gathering legal experts and acting towards general public. CLC has focused its activities on four main areas: protection of human rights, judiciary, public administration and education. Within the area of human rights protection, projects/activities are focused on critical observation of the activities of legislative, executive and judicial branch, as well as on influencing the legislative processes and the application and implementation of the law. Main activities in that area include provision of free legal aid to citizens and other NGOs, as well as drafting law proposals and Constitutional Court appeals. For many years CLC is dealing with the issue of human trafficking and considers that issue as of the exceptional importance in the scope of the human rights protection. Within the area of judiciary activities are focused on training judges and state attorneys and on drafting law proposal that will resolve the issue of exercising the right to a fair trial (lengthy legal proceedings).

In the area of education activities are focused on increasing level of knowledge and skills of the legal practitioners. CLC target groups are: vulnerable and marginalisated groups in Croatia (asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, Roma people, refugees, mentally and physically disabled...), local government officials, NGOs, members of legal profession and citizens.

With UNHCR support, the CLC implements several projects targeting Croatian Judiciary and border management stakeholders including the Border Police with the goal to ensure all asylum-seekers have access to territory and fair and efficient refugee status determination procedures.