At the Representation of the European Commission in Croatia, the book Javne politike za osobe s invaliditetom u Hrvatskoj (Public Policies for Persons with Disabilities in Croatia), published by the Institute of Public Finance and edited by Marijana Bađun, was presented on March 18, 2026. The book offers a critical, interdisciplinary analysis of policies affecting the daily lives of 17.5% of Croatia’s population. Although significant progress has been made over the past two decades in the legislative and strategic framework for persons with disabilities, the book warns that the biggest challenge remains their implementation in practice, particularly in the areas of education, employment, and poverty reduction.

Public policies for persons with disabilities are complex and interconnected, yet they are insufficiently data-driven, and their evaluation is not systematic. The aim of the book is to analyse existing policies and offer recommendations for their improvement in order to enhance the position of persons with disabilities in Croatian society. 

The book brings together 20 authors from the fields of economics, social work, educational-rehabilitation sciences, demography, law, and public health. Across 13 chapters, it analyses various aspects of disability and public policy – from the prevalence and causes of disability and the relationship between aging and disability to issues of education, employment, long-term care, and housing. It also addresses discrimination in the labour market, poverty, social benefits, the pension system, tax incentives, and public funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of persons with disabilities.

The book was presented by editor Marijana Bađun and reviewers Marko Buljevac from the Study Centre for Social Work at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, and Danijel Nestić from the Institute of Economics, Zagreb. Speakers on disability policies included Judita Cuculić Župa from the European Commission Representation in Croatia, the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities Darijo Jurišić, and Marica Mirić from the Croatian Association of Disability Organizations – SOIH.

On this occasion, editor Marijana Bađun emphasized that the quality of life for persons with disabilities cannot be improved through partial measures alone; coordinated action across public policies is necessary. “The book demonstrates that ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities goes beyond the framework of social welfare, which is most often the focus of interest, and must be systematically integrated into all public policies.” She also stated that the scientific community should be an ally of persons with disabilities, supporting them through its research in advocating for a more just and inclusive society.

The book was published as part of the project Social Protection, Taxation, and Social Welfare in Croatia, funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU), and is available in open access, in Croatian, in the repository of the Institute of Public Finance.