Lora Vidović, Ph.D., is the Head of the Office for Social Protection, Health, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities in the City of Zagreb. She is an expert in the field of human rights protection, dedicated to promoting social justice, social inclusion, and increasing access to social and health services for citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. The focus of her work is ensuring a strategic approach to the delivery of social services in the City of Zagreb, that is based on collaboration and the integration of different sectors – healthcare, social welfare, education, economy, culture, and others – so that they can better meet the specific needs of citizens and provide them adequate support using innovative approaches.

Before working with the City of Zagreb, between 2013 and 2022, Lora served as Croatian Ombudswoman, leading the institution in all of its mandates: Parliamentary Ombudsman, Status A NHRI, Equality Body, NPM, and the Whistleblowers’ Protection Authority. From 2016 to 2019 she chaired the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and she was a member of the Bureau of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI). From 2015 to 2018, she was a member of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) Management Board.

Before being appointed the Ombudswoman, Lora served as the UNICEF Representative in Croatia (2010-2013) and from 2006 to 2010, she served as the Deputy Ombudswoman for Children. For her contribution to the defence of democratic values and fundamental rights in Croatia, in 2021 Lora was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the President of the French Republic. She also won the Krunoslav Sukić Award for promoting peacekeeping, non-violence and human rights.