About the Project
Project title: Protecting the Rights of Vulnerable Persons in Challenging Times: Legal Standards and Current Realities
Project acronym: ZaRIV#vulnerability
Project number: uniri-iz-25-149
Project financing: European Union – NextGenerationEU
Project duration: 1 October 2025 – 30 September 2029
Total value of the project (EUR):
Legal disclaimer: This project is funded by European Union – NextGenerationEU via the Croatian National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021-2026, in conjunction with the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Law Programme Financing. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.
Project Leader
Name and surname: Izv. prof. dr. sc. Dalida Rittossa
E-mail: dalida.rittossa@pravri.uniri.hr
Project Team Members
ASSOCIATES
- prof. dr. sc. Marissabell Škorić (PRAVRI), marissabell.skoric@pravri.uniri.hr
- prof. dr. sc. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro (PRAVRI), sandrafg@pravri.uniri.hr
- izv. prof. dr. sc. Petra Perišić (PRAVRI), petra.perisic@pravri.uniri.hr
- izv. prof. dr. sc. Marko Mrakovčić (PRAVRI), marko.mrakovcic@pravri.uniri.hr
- izv. prof. dr. sc. Sanja Bojanić (UNIRI, Institut za budućnost), sanja.bojanic@uniri.hr
- izv. prof. art. Darija Žmak Kunić (APURI), darija.zmak.kunic@uniri.hr
DOCTORAL STUDENTS
- Martina Pleško, univ. mag. paed. soc. (Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet u Zagrebu), martina.plesko@erf.unizg.hr
Project Description
Scientists and experts agree that we are living in exceptionally challenging times. In a time of general social unrest, inequality, lack of stability and social inclusion, research in various disciplines predicts that the negative consequences of these conditions will hit the vulnerable the hardest. In such a societal scenario, protecting the rights of vulnerable people is an ethical and legal imperative and a social necessity. In this context, the concept of vulnerability has emerged as a key model for social services and the system to protect the rights of the vulnerable. As it is still an under-researched legal concept, it is the task of the scientific community to explore its legal nature and transformative potential within the legal system. The project proposal is a direct response to this necessity.
The research project’s plan is clearly focused on strengthening social responsibility. Building on the results of previous UNIRI and HRZZ projects, the research will examine the establishment of the concept of vulnerability in the international legal framework and its transformation into national criminal law solutions. The empirical part of the research will focus on municipal and county courts case law regarding violent crime committed against close victims, children and particularly vulnerable persons. The empirical research sequence will continue with the quantitative collection of data on unacceptable behavior and child vulnerability and focus groups with elementary school staff in Rijeka. The theoretical and empirical findings will be complemented by a philosophical understanding of vulnerability and interdependence as well as non-violent forms of (self-)protection through artistic and cultural practices. By applying different research approaches in an interdisciplinary environment, the research team aims to achieve the ultimate goal of the project: to improve the protection of the rights of vulnerable persons and bring tangible benefits to the community.
Project Results
As part of the lifelong learning programme “Law in the Community”, a training session was held for the employees of Srdoči Elementary School
The circumstances under which a student’s disciplinary liability may escalate into criminal liability, as well as the sanctions that may be imposed for unacceptable or delinquent behaviour among young people, were central issues discussed with the staff of Srdoči Elementary School during the training session for teaching and professional staff held on 25 June 2026. As part of the new cycle of training organised under the ‘Law in the Community’ programme, in cooperation with the Community Service Centre Tić Rijeka, the phenomenon of unacceptable student behaviour in the sphere of sexuality and the role of educational professionals in its prevention and suppression were examined in detail in an interdisciplinary setting.
The article by Prof. Marissabell Škorić, PhD, and Prof. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro, PhD, is a new project result
Prof. Dr. Sc. Marissabell Škorić and Prof. Dr. Sc. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro have published the article “Femicide in Focus: From Global Recommendations to Regional Solutions, with Special Emphasis on the Challenges in Implementing the Belém do Pará Convention” in the newly released issue of the Collected Papers of the Faculty of Law in Split. In their contribution, members of our project team explain why the international Belém do Pará Convention has become the foundational normative instrument for shaping national policy responses across Latin American states, and what lessons may be drawn from those jurisdictions. Their research demonstrates that femicide is both a legal and a political issue, and that effective responses to this pervasive social phenomenon must be developed through legislative reform, education, institutional cooperation, and sustained international support.
Marissabell Škorić, Sandra Fabijanić Gagro, „Femicide in Focus: From Global Recommendations to Regional Solutions, with Special Emphasis on the Challenges in Implementing the Belém Do Pará Convention“, Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta u Splitu, vol. 63, no. 1, 2026., pp. 105-128
Participants at the Spring Symposium on Medical Ethics, “Ethical Aspects of Surrogate Motherhood”, had an opportunity to gain new insights into the legal framework governing surrogacy and into the concept of vulnerability
Surrogate motherhood is a subject that exceeds the conventional boundaries of any single discipline and, owing to its inherent complexity, requires the engagement of experts from multiple fields. To elucidate the various dimensions of surrogacy through open interdisciplinary dialogue, the Spring Symposium on Medical Ethics, “Ethical Aspects of Surrogate Motherhood”, was held on 15 June 2026 at the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka. Prof. Dr Marissabell Škorić delivered a lecture entitled “The Legal Framework of Surrogate Motherhood in the Republic of Croatia”, providing participants with an overview of the legal understanding of surrogacy within the Croatian legal order, as well as relevant comparative approaches. In her presentation, she offered a detailed analysis of the different forms of vulnerability associated with this medical practice and thereby opened a new research avenue within the ZaRIV#vulnerability project.
Research findings on international guidelines and national criminal law strategies for preventing child sexual abuse presented at the tenth ECLIC International Conference
The Faculty of Law in Osijek hosted the tenth anniversary ECLIC International Scientific Conference, “EU as a Global Player: Geopolitical Position of the EU in the New Global Order”, on 11–12 June 2026. The event brought together leading scholars and practitioners to discuss the European Union’s evolving role within the shifting global geopolitical landscape. Researchers Prof. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro, PhD, Prof. Marissabell Škorić, PhD, and Prof. Dalida Rittossa, PhD, presented their paper, “Ending Child Sexual Abuse – International Standards, the Croatian Criminal Law Framework and Preventive Strategies”. Their contribution represents another significant achievement within the ongoing research project and highlights the importance of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to child protection.
The article by Prof. Dr. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro presents a new project result
Prof. Dr. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro has published an article entitled “Cultural Heritage – Between Recognition and Denial” in the latest issue of the journal Prawo i Więź / Law and Social Bonds. In examining the very notion of cultural genocide, our project team member begins with the theses advanced by Raphael Lemkin and explains why this concept was ultimately not incorporated into the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. In a dedicated section of the article, Prof. Dr. Fabijanić Gagro further elucidates why debates on cultural genocide continue to persist within academic and professional circles, and what their legal significance is.
Sandra Fabijanić Gagro, „Cultural Heritage – Between Recognition and Denial“, Prawo I Więź/Law and Social Bonds, vol. 61, no. 2, 2026., pp. 273-308.: Link
Presentation of research findings on child sexual abuse in sport at the conference “Women, Children and Youth in Sport – Protection of Elementary Human Rights”
Incidents of child sexual abuse and exploitation within sports environments are appearing with increasing frequency in media reporting. This deeply troubling social phenomenon remains insufficiently examined within academic and professional circles. Seeking to reverse this trend and encourage substantive discussion, Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D., presented participants at the international scientific conference “Women, Children and Youth in Sport – Protection of Elementary Human Rights”, held on 29 May 2026, with an analysis of Croatian criminal‑law responses and their application in judicial practice. Her paper, “Child Sexual Abuse in Sports Settings: An Oxymoron Reality,” critically addressed the legal and practical challenges associated with recognising and prosecuting sexual abuse in sport, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on safeguarding children’s fundamental rights.
A research workshop entitled “The Sky Turns” conducted at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka – exploring inspiration, spatial experience, and creativity
With the aim of making newly generated research outputs from the ZaRIV#vulnerability project accessible to the wider public and suitable for educational use, a pilot workshop titled “The Sky Turns” was held on 26 March 2026 at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Rijeka, as part of field instruction for students of the Academy of Applied Arts. The workshop involved graduate students of Art Education enrolled in Sculpture courses, as well as third‑year undergraduate students in Art Education (AE), Applied Arts (AA), and Graphic Design and Visual Communication (GDVC), who attend the course Semiotics taught by Assoc. Prof. Sanja Bojanić, Ph.D. Students were guided through installations, sculptures, and multimedia works by curator Ksenija Orelj and museum educator Ana Žarković. Following the exhibition tour, students took part in the workshop “Visual Manifesto”, led by Assoc. Prof. Darija Žmak Kunić, Art. A structured dialogue on the legal conceptualisation of vulnerability, the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups, philosophical perspectives, and artistic expression was facilitated by Assoc. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Sanja Bojanić, Ph.D., and Assoc. Prof. Darija Žmak Kunić, Art. The programme was further enriched by the contribution of expert collaborator Ivo Matulić, psychologist, psychotherapist and group analyst, who added an additional dimension of reflective practice and group dynamics. The workshop enabled students to meaningfully integrate theoretical knowledge with contemporary artistic practice, fostering interdisciplinary engagement, critical reflection and personal artistic development within an inspiring museum environment.
Participants at the international conference “Women in Today’s World” were presented with recent normative interventions aimed at strengthening the legal response to domestic violence in Croatia
Over the past two decades, the normative architecture governing domestic violence within both the misdemeanour and criminal-law domains in Croatia has been subject to frequent and substantively significant legislative revisions. To provide participants at the international scientific conference “Women in Today’s World” with an informed overview of Croatian criminal-law approaches and their application in judicial practice, researchers Prof. Marissabell Škorić, Ph.D., and Assoc. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D., delivered a presentation entitled “Conceptual Changes and Frequent Amendments: An Analysis of the Legislative Approach to Criminalizing Family Violence in the Republic of Croatia, with Special Emphasis on the Latest Legislative Interventions.”
Establishment of cooperation with public institutions and professional associations
Given that the principal objective of the ZaRIV#vulnerability project is to enhance the protection of the rights of vulnerable citizens and to achieve concrete, community‑level improvements, its educational and dissemination activities constitute a core component of its implementation. With the signing of cooperation agreements in January 2026, the research team secured two key partners in advancing the rights of vulnerable groups: the Association of Youth and Family Judges and Specialists, and the Community Service Centre Tić Rijeka.
Presentation of new project findings on juvenile offenders’ culpability at a scientific symposium dedicated to Prof. Emeritus Petar Novoselc, Ph.D.
Prof. Emeritus Petar Novoselc, Ph.D., is regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary criminal‑law theory, and in honour of his scholarly and professional contributions, a scientific symposium entitled “In memoriam Prof. Emer. Petar Novoselc, Ph.D.: Criminal Justice Between Independence and Responsibility – Real Challenges in Light of the Recommendations of the Rule of Law Report” was held in Zagreb on 16 December 2025. At this event, and with the intention of stimulating further academic debate on the concept of juvenile culpability, Assoc. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D., delivered a presentation entitled “The Mistake of Law Through the Lens of Doctrinal Principles on the Culpability of Juvenile Offenders”. Her contribution offered a critical examination of doctrinal misconceptions surrounding the mistake of law and underscored the need for continued theoretical and empirical engagement with the criminal‑law treatment of juvenile offenders.
Research findings on the killing of family members in the case law of the Royal Court in Rijeka presented at the international scientific conference of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
To mark the exceptional bicentennial anniversary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, an international scientific conference entitled “The Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungarian Science Celebration: 200 Years in the Service of Knowledge and Society” was held in hybrid format on 24 November 2025. With the aim of drawing attention to aetiological insights into the killing of family members, insights that have shaped the understanding of these offences for many years, researchers Prof. Marissabell Škorić, Ph.D., and Assoc. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D., presented a conference paper entitled “The Murder of a Family Member as the Most Severe Form of Family Violence in the Royal Court in Rijeka Case Law – What Can Criminal Legal History Teach Us?”. The authors emphasised the need for continued empirical research in the field of criminal legal history.
Within the framework of the lifelong learning programme “Law in the Community”, a series of training sessions for primary‑school personnel has been launched.
Inappropriate behaviour exhibited by young persons in educational settings, if left without adequate intervention, may indicate an increased risk of subsequent deviant conduct later in life. To underscore the importance of the role of teachers and professional staff in primary schools in preventing undesirable student behaviour in the sphere of sexuality, a series of training sessions has been launched under the programme “Law in the Community”, in cooperation with the Community Service Centre Tić Rijeka. On 19 November 2025, a training session was delivered to the staff of Dolac Primary School on the topic “Preventing Sexual Violence Among Youth: What Must Be Known and How to Respond”. The fundamental aetiological and phenomenological characteristics of inappropriate behaviours, together with the central role of educational professionals, were subsequently presented to experts from Kantrida Primary School on 25 November 2025.
In cooperation with the Association of Youth and Family Judges and Specialists, a professional symposium, “Pre‑trial Detention or a Temporary Measure”, was moderated
The regime governing the enforcement of pre‑trial detention for juveniles is one of the central issues concerning the procedural status of minors and remains an area in which no unified professional consensus has been reached. To clarify statutory provisions and practical approaches, and to identify measures needed to improve current practice, the Association of Youth and Family Judges and Specialists organised a professional symposium titled “Pre‑trial Detention or a Temporary Measure” on 4 November 2025. The event was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D.
Within the framework of the lifelong learning programme “Law in the Community,” a training session was held for the staff of the Community Service Centre Tić Rijeka
To ensure that scientific knowledge contributes directly to the advancement of community welfare, the lifelong learning programme “Law in the Community” continues to be implemented as part of the ZaRIV#vulnerability project. The professional training of experts who, in the course of their daily work, safeguard the rights of the most vulnerable groups constitutes a direct mechanism for enhancing the well-being of both individuals and the community as a whole. Pursuant to the agreement with the Community Service Centre Tić Rijeka, researchers Prof. Marissabell Škorić, Ph.D., Prof. Sandra Fabijanić Gagro, Ph.D., and Assoc. Prof. Dalida Rittossa, Ph.D., delivered a training session on “The Phenomenon of Child Sexual Abuse and Legal Responses” on 21 October 2025.
