UPR Sexual Rights Database

CESCR was concerned that the 2011 law on social security had reduced coverage of reproductive and sexual health services, particularly the prescription of contraceptives. It recommended that Slovakia expand the public insurance scheme to cover reproductive and sexual health services. [Para 52]

Ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Extend the provisions of domestic hate speech legislation to cover sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristic.

[sexual behaviour and sexual problems of mentally and physically handicapped persons are rarely mentioned in public] In collaboration with relevant civil society actors make a survey on these issues and develop a plan of action in this regard. [Para 34]

CRC recommended that Slovakia take adequate legislative measures to ensure the explicit prohibition of sexual exploitation and abuse of children under criminal law; ensure that child victims are not criminalized or penalized; implement appropriate policies and programmes for the prevention, recovery and social reintegration of child victims; and carry out gender awareness-raising campaigns to combat sexual exploitation. [Para 20]

Article 15(1) of the Constitution clearly states that everyone has the right to life and that human life is worth protection even before birth. In the spirit of these principles, the amendment to the Act on Healthcare of September 2009 contains details on mandatory instructions given to women preceding the written informed consent of women, as a precondition for carrying out abortions and introduces the obligation to advise on other alternatives. The law also provides women who want to give up their newborn child with the possibility of anonymous birth, as well as the possibility to place a newborn in a publicly accessible incubator's a so-called baby hatch.

Strengthen the coordination among all agencies working on Roma, non-discrimination and gender equality issues, particularly in the areas of health, education, employment and participation in public life. [Para 11; CEDAW]

The Crime Victims Act (Victims Act), effective as of 1 January 2018 provides for the rights, support and protection of crime victims, the relationship between the state and entities providing assistance to victims, and for financial compensation for victims of deliberate violent crime. It introduces the concepts ‘victim’, ‘particularly vulnerable victim’, ‘secondary and repeated victimisation’ and ‘domestic violence crimes’ into the legal system. Every person who claims that he or she is a crime victim is considered a victim under this Act until it is proven otherwise or unless it is an apparent case of abuse of the status of victimhood, regardless of whether the perpetrator of the crime has been identified, arrested, faces prosecution or has been convicted. The rights granted by this Act are exercised without any discrimination based on sex, religion or belief, race, belonging to a nationality or ethnic group, health status, age, sexual orientation, colour, political or other opinion, ethnic or social origin, wealth or other status. Entities which, by virtue of their authority or activities, influence or may influence the status or the situation of a victim shall treat victims considerately, professionally, with respect and, as far as possible, charitably, while taking into account their age, sex, health status, including mental health, and mental maturity in a manner which avoids increasing the harm caused to the victim by the crime, as well as secondary victimisation. The Act grants victims the right to be provided professional assistance according to their specific needs and to the extent appropriate to the harm caused by the crime, especially by being provided an adequate explanation of information, legal assistance to exercise their rights, psychological support to lessen the effects of the crime, counselling regarding the risk and prevention of repeated victimisation, intimidation and retaliation. A particularly vulnerable victim has, under the conditions set out in the Act, the right to be provided free assistance, professional psychological emergency intervention, emergency accommodation in a crisis care home, if a particularly vulnerable person faces a direct risk to life or health. A victim also has the right to be protected against secondary or repeated victimisation. [Para 14]

Step up efforts to eliminate occupational exclusion, to ensure equal pay for work of equal value to men and women.

Better ensure the effective enforcement of laws against sexual harassment and adopt additional preventive and protective measures to combat sexual violence in the workplace.

In October 2012, the Committee for the Rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersexual Persons was endorsed by the Government as an advisory body to the Government Council for Human Rights, National Minorities and Gender Equality. The LGBTI Committee, consisting of representatives of state authorities and non- governmental organisations, is an expert body with mandate to contribute to further promotion of the rights of LGBTI persons, and to participate in policy preparation with impact on LGBTI. [Para 6]

Increase efforts to guarantee the promotion and protection of the human rights of LGBTI persons.