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1. Existence of a National Strategy on social inclusion
2. Scope and contents
3. Responsible authority
4. Revisions/Updates

Existence of a national strategy on social inclusion

Croatia lacks a dedicated strategy for socially including young people.. The main document addressing social inclusion is the National Plan to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion 2021-2027 (National Plan). It identifies young people as a high-risk group for poverty and social exclusion.

The new National Youth Programme 2023-2025 does not include measures for the social protection and inclusion of youth.

Scope and contents

National Plan to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion 2021-2027

The purpose of the National Plan is to effectively reduce poverty and social exclusion, enhancing the daily lives of those at risk and facing severe material deprivation in the Republic of Croatia.  Through the National Plan, the Republic of Croatia, as a welfare state, strives to further approach the ideal of equal opportunities and inclusion for all citizens. It has already initiated a number of initiatives contributing to the fight against segregation and the protection of the rights of all vulnerable groups. The significance of this National Plan is even greater following the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and devastating earthquakes that struck Croatia in 2020. Initiatives aimed at reducing social exclusion will consider the implications of the crisis caused by the pandemic and earthquakes on vulnerable groups of citizens.

The main priority of the National Plan is defined as contributing to the reduction of poverty and social exclusion. Improving the quality of life through a coordinated support system for groups at risk of poverty and social exclusion. This priority is divided into four specific objectives:

• Specific objective 1: Reduction of poverty and social exclusion of vulnerable groups
• Specific objective 2: Prevention and reduction of child poverty and social exclusion
• Specific objective 3: Increasing family and minimum pensions
• Specific objective 4: Improving the living conditions of individuals at risk of poverty and social exclusion

Reduction of poverty and social exclusion of vulnerable groups

Activities under this specific objective focus on: 

• comprehensive diagnosis of poverty and social exclusion 
• improving the adequacy of social benefits and expanding the coverage of supplementary health insurance for the most vulnerable group of health-insured individuals
• digitisation of social benefits in the social protection system
• development and implementation of programmes aimed at reducing material deprivation and social exclusion of vulnerable groups
• poverty reduction at the regional and local level
• ensuring equal access and participation of vulnerable groups in culture and enhancing media literacy
• further development of volunteering in the Republic of Croatia
• development of infrastructure and implementation of programmes for veterans and victims of the Homeland War in veteran centres
• enhancing the quality of life for Croatian Homeland War veterans, members of their families, and civilian victims of the Homeland War, along with their families
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Prevention and reduction of child poverty and social exclusion

Activities under this specific objective focus on: 

• enhancing the availability of free meals for children in poverty or at risk of poverty and social exclusion
• increasing the accessibility of education for marginalised and vulnerable groups in poor socio-economic positions
• enhancing the integrated approach to caring for children at risk of poverty and social exclusion

• enhancing and providing free programmes for the social inclusion of children and families at risk of poverty and social exclusion

   

Increasing survivors’ and minimum pensions

Priorities for the implementation of policies in the field of dignified aging and adequacy of pensions, among others, focus on: 

• considering the possibility of introducing a new model of survivors’ pensions
• promoting individual responsibility for personal social security in old age and raising the baseline of pension insurance rights

Improving the living conditions of individuals at risk of poverty and social exclusion 

Activities under this specific objective focus on: 

• creating a supportive environment to deter young people from migrating and to improve the living conditions for both them and their families
• providing housing for victims and volunteers of the Homeland War. 

These measures will enhance living conditions and reduce inequalities in society, resulting in the reduction of poverty and social exclusion

The Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy is responsible for the Strategy for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion in the Republic of Croatia (2014-2020).

Usually, the Ministry adopts Implementation programme of the strategy for two-year period and then, it has an obligation to produce an annual report on the implementation of measures and submit it to the Government of the Republic of Croatia for adoption. The Implementation programme of the strategy has expired in 2016 and the last available report was submitted for 2016.

Responsible authority

The Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy (MLPSFSP) is responsible for the implementation of the National Plan. In conjunction with the National Plan, the MLPSFSP and the Government have adopted the accompanying Action Plan for the period 2021-2024. 

Revisions/Updates

There are no revisions or updates.