Povijesno gledajući, društvo je uglavnom percipiralo osobe s invaliditetom na negativan način, točnije, kao osobe koje su ovisne o tuđoj skrbi i zdravstvenoj pomoći, pa su samim time i manje vrijedne u odnosu na ostale članove društva. Naporima civilnih udruga i pojedinaca učinjeno je mnogo u poboljšavanju statusa i percepcije osoba s invaliditetom. Postojeći zakoni koji bi trebali olakšati život osoba s invaliditetom ne provode se adekvatno i društvo još ne vodi ravnopravni dijalog s krajnjim korisnicima zakona. Ovim radom se nastojalo prikazati zakon i specifičnosti života osoba s invaliditetom u hrvatskom društvu. Na taj način pokušalo se ukazati na moguću povezanost politike koja provodi zakone o osobama s invaliditetom i djelovanje civilnog društva u kontekstu pristupa tržištu rada za osobe s invaliditetom.

Historically, the society has mostly perceived people with disabilities in a negative way, more precisely, as people who are dependent on other care and health care, and are therefore less valuable compared to other members of society. Efforts by civil associations and individuals have been done much to improve the status and perception of people with disabilities. Existing laws that should facilitate the lives of people with disabilities are not adequately implemented and society does not yet hold an equal dialogue with end – users. The aim of this work was to present the law and the specifics of life of persons with disabilities in Croatian society. In this way it was attempted to point to the possible linkage of the policy that implements the laws on persons with disabilities and the activities of civil society in the context of access to the labor market for persons with disabilities.