THE ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE DISABLED IN CROATIA

Udruge invalida značajan su segment dobrovoljnog sektora u Republici Hrvatskoj. Postoji velik broj udruga invalida različitih prema vrstama i načinu organiziranja. Često je upravo njihov velik broj i različita organiziranost nepoznanica koja kod stručnjaka i građana stvara osjećaj rezerviranosti. Osim toga, velik je i broj različitih zakonskih propisa koji uređuju život osoba s invaliditetom koji, pored mnogobrojnosti, izazivaju probleme u provođenju zbog nedovoljne usklađenosti. Udruge su preuzele ulogu tumačenja tih propisa i pojednostavljivanjem prikaza zakonskih tekstova omogućavaju njihovo praćenje. U posljednje vrijeme dolazi do promjena u shvaćanju uloge i značenja udruga invalida i sve pozitivnijeg razvoja partnerskih odnosa vladinog i nevladinog sektora u Hrvatskoj. O svemu tome ukratko u ovom radu sa željom da se pridonese rasvjetljavanju pogleda na udruge invalida u Hrvatskoj. Cilj je rada informirati o činjenicama na ovom području i omogućiti stjecanje uvida u postojanje i rad udruga invalida u Hrvatskoj, budući da je to područje nedovoljno obrađeno. Bit će to korisno svima koji se na bilo koji način bave osobama s invaliditetom ili studentima.The associations of the disabled are a significant segment of the voluntary sector in the Republic of Croatia. There is a great number of the associations of the disabled which are different according to their types and manner or organisation. Namely this large number and different level of organisation is often imponderable and as such creates a reserved feeling in experts and citizens. Apart from that, there are many different legal regulations which regulate the life of persons with disabilities who, apart from the numerousness of such regulations, also have problems with their implementation due to insufficient level of adjustment. The associations overtook the role of interpretation of those regulations and simplification of presenting legal texts in order to enable their following. Recently there have been changes in the understanding of the role and significance of the associations of the disabled and more and more positive partnership relations between the governmental and non-governmental sector in Croatia. This paper briefly outlines facts about all of that, wishing to contribute to the clarification of the view on the associations of the disabled in Croatia. The aim of the paper is to better inform about this area and gain first insight about the associations of the disabled in Croatia, as this area was insufficiently elaborated, which would prove useful for all those who in any way deal with the persons with disabilities or students