As part of the EMV-LII project “Strengthening Migrants’ Voices for Local Integration and Inclusion,” the first workshop for foreign nationals from Asian countries who have found job opportunities in Croatia, particularly in Međimurje, was held on Saturday, March 1, 2025. This workshop was organized by the Administrative Department for Civil Society and Human Rights of Međimurje County with the support of the Platform for the Social Center Čakovec. Its goal was to familiarize participants with the local way of life and culture, work and other rights, and to introduce them to local institutions and public authorities.
The interactive workshop, held in the Multimedia Hall of the Treasury of Međimurje, gathered 23 representatives of the target group. After the introductory presentation, participants actively engaged in discussions on key topics, including human and labor rights, exercising pension rights, traffic culture, the procedure for purchasing a personal vehicle, and the rights of foreign workers in institutions such as the Croatian Employment Service.
This workshop represents the first step towards strengthening the integration and inclusion of newly arrived foreign workers in Međimurje. Participants expressed satisfaction with the knowledge and information gained, and further workshops were announced, which will focus in more detail on migrant rights, workers’ rights, anti-discrimination, empowerment, and advocacy basics.
The EMV-LII project is co-financed by the Asylum and Migration Fund and runs from March 1, 2024, to February 28, 2027, lasting 36 months. The project leader is the Austrian non-profit non-governmental organization Südwind, and Međimurje County, as a project partner from Croatia, operates in cooperation with the non-governmental organization Center for Peace Studies.
