Within the framework of the Social Insurance Administration Project (SIAP), supported by the World Bank, a delegation from North Macedonia conducted a study visit to the Republic of Croatia to exchange experience and good practices related to disability assessment systems, disability registers, and vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities.
The visit provided direct insight into Croatia’s centralized disability assessment model, institutional coordination mechanisms, and the use of integrated software systems linking assessment, rehabilitation, employment measures, and data management. Particular attention was given to the role of the Institute for Disability Assessment, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (ZOSI), which combines assessment, rehabilitation, and employment-related functions within a single institutional framework.
A key focus of the study visit was the digital infrastructure supporting disability assessment and data exchange, including interconnected software modules used for expert assessment, vocational rehabilitation planning, personal assistance management, and the disability register. The Croatian experience demonstrated the advantages of centralized data management, unified identification of beneficiaries, and structured information flows between institutions, while also highlighting existing limitations related to interoperability and the continued predominance of a medical-based assessment approach.
The delegation also examined Croatia’s vocational rehabilitation and employment system, including the interaction between the employment service, rehabilitation centres, and the employment fund. The coordinated model linking assessment outcomes with rehabilitation pathways and active labour market measures was identified as a valuable reference for future reforms in North Macedonia.
Overall, the study visit offered important lessons for the ongoing development of North Macedonia’s ICF-based, rights-oriented disability assessment system, the establishment of a national disability register, and the strengthening of institutional coordination under the Central Disability Certification Coordination Unit (CDCCU). The Croatian model serves as a practical example of advanced digital organization and institutional linkage, while also reinforcing the need for a conceptual shift toward a functional and human-rights-based approach, which remains a core objective of the SIAP and CDCCU reforms.