The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) requested from the World Bank an investment project to strengthen and modernise administrative segments of the social insurance system in order to enable the implementation of the reform and development of a sustainable administrative and user-friendly pension system. This also includes a development of a new system of vocational rehabilitation and occupational training. The vocational rehabilitation in Macedonia, although envisaged in the legislation, was not being implemented at the time. The field and activities related to the vocational rehabilitation, and broader professional rehabilitation, is fragmented across the legislation, but there is no institutional setup that would ensure inclusion in the professional and vocational rehabilitation process, ensure its financing and a quality network of service providers.
The task was to provide technical assistance to the MLPS and the working group in the design process of the new system and legal framework for professional rehabilitation and activation of persons with disabilities. A further objective of this work was to assess and consider the previous work of the working group and the design of the professional rehabilitation centres in Skopje, Strumica and other locations in Macedonia.