The report says that Croatia is still too reliant on the institutionalisation of certain groups, such as children with disabilities and adults with intellectual and physical difficulties, which intensifies their isolation from the family and the social welfare network and increases their dependence on others.
Development of the existing network of social services and care, particularly at the level of local communities, would increase the inclusion of vulnerable groups and enable their greater participation in social and economic life, the report said.
Mobilisation of a series of service providers and a partnership between state bodies, local government units, non-governmental organisations and the private sector was seen as an important step.
Networks of family support through transport, personal assistants, occasional forms of children's care and household assistance are still in a developing stage in Croatia, while numerous problems of social exclusion of persons with physical disabilities are the consequence of insufficient and inadequate representation in decision-making processes. However, a significant part of this social group does not feel excluded thanks to the support of their families and friends, the report said.
Croatia has nearly 430,000 persons with disabilities, or 9.68 per cent of the population -- 42.74 are women and 57.26 per cent men.
"Society has a responsibility to persons with disabilities and their families. On this International Day of Families, let us dedicate ourselves to enabling the family, the most basic unit of society, to fulfil its role in ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy full human rights and dignity, and flourish as individuals," the UN Secretary-General said in his message.