Author
Asylees and foreigners under subsidiary protection have the right to social welfare pursuant to the regulations governing the domain of social welfare of Croatian citizens.[1] In February 2022, a new Law on Social Welfare entered into force.[2]
The Law on Social Welfare regulates that asylees, foreigners under subsidiary protection, and foreigners under temporary protection as well as members of their family who legally reside in Republic of Croatia, can receive benefits and services in the social welfare system under the conditions prescribed by this Law, and the Law on international and temporary protection.[3]
Social welfare activities are performed by social welfare institutions, local and regional self-government units, associations, religious communities, other legal persons, craftsmen and other physical persons performing social welfare activities.
Some basic information are also provided in materials (i.e. videos and a brochure) prepared by the Croatian Law Centre.[4]
The realisation of social rights in Croatia also depends on the place of residence.
The social rights to which beneficiaries of international protection are entitled in the welfare system include care and assistance allowance; one-time allowances; up-to-employment allowance, education-related allowances; allowance for vulnerable energy buyers; housing allowance – right granted at the level of local self-government units; fuel allowance – right granted at the level of regional self-government units; personal needs allowance for a residential care beneficiary; personal disability allowance; status of a parent caretaker or status of a caretaker; guaranteed minimum benefit. It also includes social welfare services (initial social welfare service; counselling and assistance; attendance; psychosocial support; early intervention; assistance with inclusion into programmes of upbringing and regular education – integration; day care; accommodation and organised housing). In 2018, persons under international protection exercised mostly the right to one-time allowance (226) and the right to a guaranteed minimum benefit (389). Regarding social welfare services, the majority of beneficiaries used the initial social welfare service (63) (provision of information, recognition and initial assessment of needs). In 2019, the number of persons (asylees and household members) under international protection exercising the right to a guaranteed minimum benefit (225) and initial social welfare service (137 asylees) decreased. In 2020, the right to a guaranteed minimum benefit was exercised by 213 asylees with household members, while 107 of them exercised the right to the initial social welfare service.[5]
In 2022, according to the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, a total of 18 persons under international protection has been granted with a minimum guaranteed allowance, one person has been granted with disability allowance and one person was granted a allowance for assistance and care. One person has been granted with status of a parent-caregiver and in the reporting period there were 85 proceedings in which the right to a one-time financial compensation was approved.[6]
Following the Amendments to the Decision of Social Welfare in 2019,[7] the social rights provided by the City of Zagreb were extend to families of asylees and foreigners under subsidiary protection.[8]
In 2021, a manual entitled “The role of social welfare in the integration of persons with international protection” was prepared within a project implemented by the Croatian Association of Social Workers in partnership with the Centre for Social Welfare Split and with the support of the Ministry of Labour, Pensions, Family and Social Policy, as well as the Ministry of Interior.[9] The manual is intended for social workers and other experts and associates of social welfare centres across the Centres for Social Welfare and their branches in Croatia.[10]
[1] Article 73 LITP.
[2] Official Gazette 18/2022 , available at: https://bit.ly/3uxR6PN, amendments: Official Gazette 46/2022 available at: http://bit.ly/3TIJc1a, and Official Gazette 119 /2022 available at: http://bit.ly/3z5vnjQ.
[3] Official Gazette 18/2022, 46/2022, 119 /2022.
[4] Croatian law Centre, video „You have a right to social welfare rights: https://bit.ly/3dPKWCc; https://bit.ly/3aCwtaY; https://bit.ly/32OY9VG; and brochure available at: https://bit.ly/2RZdkJz.
[5] Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities of the Government of the Republic of Croatia: INCLuDE Social Inclusion of Persons Granted International Protection in the Republic of Croatia,year of publication: 2022, available in English at: https://bit.ly/3E23GKi; and in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/3O3c4xz.
[6] Croatian Law Centre, The Croatian Asylum System in 2022 – National Report. The report was prepared as part of the project “Legal Assistance and Capacity Building for Access to Territory and Asylum in Croatia“, with financial support of the UNHCR Croatia: available in English at: https://bit.ly/434T7RL.
[7] Amendments available in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/2UQoMXa.
[8] City of Zagreb, Social welfare decision, 4 April 2019, available at: https://bit.ly/2URy7hj.
[9] The manual is available at: https://bit.ly/3pNh13c.
[10] Croatian Association of Social Workers, Manual “The role of social welfare in the integration of persons with international protection, 2021, available at: http://husr.hr/web/?p=4983.