On 19th December 2017, at the Croatian Parliament, the Agency for Science and Higher Education (ASHE), received the MAMFORCE STANDARD for implementing family responsibility and gender equality policies. The awarding of the MAMFORCE Standard was held as a part of the final conference of the two-year project funded by EU Funds „In Pursuit of Full Equality between Men and Women: Reconciliation of Private and Family Life” coordinated by the Gender Equality Ombudsperson.
This standard is awarded to organizations that have passed an independent assessment of the terms of work and practice regarding the management of people and have carried out the recommended activities in the domain of the responsibility towards family responsibilities of employees and equal gender representation.
The Agency participated in the MAMFORCE assessment process during 2016 and obtained the right to use the basic standard, after which, through analysing the measures implemented and achievements, obtained the right to the advanced MAMFORCE standard.
On behalf of the Agency, Prof. Jasmina Havranek, PhD, director, accepted the award and pointed out that through this project, positive progress has been made – from awareness about the importance of implementing gender equality and family policies, to specific actions made, „we are particularly happy that we are the first organization from the public sector to receive this standard and that we encouraged others to become involved in this praiseworthy initiative. We are aware that responsible human resource management is a challenge that requires constant engagement, which is why we will continue to dedicate ourselves to this subject,“ stated Prof. Havranek.
The MAMFORCE standard was also awarded to the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Croatian Electric Power Company, Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries, Croatian Employers’ Association, Ministry of Labour and Pension System, business intelligence companies and Verso Altima. The ceremony was coordinated by Zrinka Grancaric, was attended by Gender Equality Ombudsperson Visnja Ljubcic, state secretary of the Ministry of Demographics, Youth, Family and Social Policy Marija Pletikosa, Croatian Parliament representative and Croatian Parliament speaker M.Sc. Zeljka Josic and the delegation of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Social Affairs advisor M. Sc. Renata Margaretic Urlic, Dr. Sonja Robnik, Equal Opportunities Unit at the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the Republic of Slovenia and Samra Filipovic-Hadziabdic, Director of the Agency for Gender for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina and numerous other guests.
