The governments of the United Nations member states, together with non-governmental organizations and representatives of international organizations, organized the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993, at which the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action were adopted. These documents contained a proposal for fundamental guidelines to secure human rights world-wide, particularly at the level of individual state, where the greatest impact on human rights is exerted.

One of the recommendations contained in the Vienna Declaration calls on the United Nations member states to draw up a national programme/action plan for the protection and promotion of human rights, identifying measures whereby the protection of human rights could be guaranteed, as well as the activities for their promotion.

Pursuant to the recommendation contained in the Vienna Declaration, the Republic of Croatia has drafted the National Programme for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2008-2011 whereby it clearly focuses its efforts on the improvement of human rights in Croatia and proposes measures to best protect and promote human rights.