The mission of the Ombudsman’s Office for Persons with Disabilities is to “contribute to creating a society in which, despite their differences and limitations, all people have equal opportunities,” said Ombudswoman Anka Slonjsak at the celebration of 10-year anniversary of the establishment of the Office in parliament on Monday.

“From the first day of its existence, the Office has been dedicated to promoting awareness of the universal principle of equality for all people,” Slonjsak said.

The successes achieved in the past ten years, particularly amendments to legislation, have enabled people with disabilities who wished to find work to not have their disability allowance or pensions suspended, she said.

The office also managed to reinstate voting rights for disabled persons as well as the elderly who live in institutions, she added.

The Office has put efforts in increasing awareness that depriving someone of legal capacity is a grave violation of human rights of people with disabilities, Slonjsak said, adding that there was certainly room for persons with disabilities in society, including children with difficulties, who need to be allowed to attend regular school with their peers.

Some 13,000 persons with disabilities have approached the office since it was established, and most of them requested the protection of rights in the fields of social welfare, pension insurance, accessibility, labour and employment, education and health, she said.

One of the things that still has not been achieved, is progress in setting up a system of care for children and adults with autism, which is currently very slow, she added.

Opening of regional offices in the cities of Osijek, Split, and Rijeka are planned, in an effort to make the Office’s services more accessible to persons with disabilities.

“A lot has been done in Croatia in the last ten years in an effort to improve conditions and the quality of life and work for disabled persons, said Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic, host of the celebration.

Nevertheless, we must continue working so that “the participation of persons with disabilities is not limited, not because of their problems, but due to various obstacles in society – whether they are social, legal, political, or economic,” Jandrokovic said.

Only when that is fully realised can we say we have developed as a successful society – inclusive, open, just and unified, Jandrokovic concluded.

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