UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 29) Since 2010, Slovenia signed and ratified the following international treaties:
CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence; signed on 8 September 2011.

Para 73) In 2009, Slovenia adopted the Resolution on the 2009-2014 National Programme on Prevention of Family Violence (NPPFV). This strategic document sets out objectives, measures and key players to reduce and prevent domestic violence. The document aims to combine measures implemented by various ministries and provides for effective activities to reduce domestic violence, both in terms of identification and prevention. Therefore, the Resolution also provides for the implementation of a national awareness-raising campaign on the issue of violence and for reducing the extent of such deviant behaviour in every society. Rules were adopted in certain fields to implement the 2008 Family Violence Prevention Act (FVPA), effectively provide assistance to children and cooperate with other authorities.

Para 74) The two-year nation-wide awareness raising campaign "VESNA - to live a life free of violence" officially started on 7 March 2014 with a national conference. The target group is women of three generations (young women, adults and old women), for whom different, target-oriented activities have been envisaged. Activities are tailored to the needs and lifestyle of each target group.

Para 75) Several other sector-specific implementing acts on education, health care, social security, and the police have been passed to implement the FVPA, effectively provide assistance to children and cooperate with other authorities.

Para 76) The Slovenian Research Agency, the OEO and the MoI/Police co-financed the target research project "Violence and Responses to it in the Private Sphere and Partnerships". At the end of 2010, the results of the first empirical national research on violence in the private sphere and partnerships were published, and followed at the end of 2011 by analyses on the work of the Police, courts and social services concerning violence against women and domestic violence. The research has shown that the number of cases of domestic violence that are detected, identified and processed by institutions is increasing. This is also due to the implementation of legislation that both enables and imposes the obligation of institutions to provide effective assistance to victims and to prosecute offenders. In addition, the number of cases processed also increased as a result of the victims' increased willingness to seek help and the increased awareness and sensitivity of staff in institutions established to help such victims.

Para 77) Adopted in 2013, the Police Tasks and Powers Act significantly upgraded the police restraining order. Police officers may impose such a measure on the offender not only on the scene of the offence, but also immediately after the offender has been apprehended, regardless of location. An offender who has repeatedly violated a restraining order may be detained by the Police and, at the same time, a fine may be imposed. For the cases when the place that the offender must not approach is an education institution attended by a victim who is a child or a minor, the legal basis was added to inform the relevant personnel at the education institutions of the duration of the restraining order or other information vital to the protection of the victim.

Para 78) With a view to raising public awareness, the Police publish on its web page, in several foreign languages, information on domestic violence and on police procedures.

Para 79) Housing capacities for women victims of violence have increased. One of the safe houses has also been adapted for the needs of disabled persons. One crisis centre has been adapted for the needs of older people. The network of crisis centres and shelters expanded to regions in which such services were previously unavailable, and the housing capacities for victims of violence are currently provided for.

Para 80) NGOs caution about the changed criminal offence of threat under Article 135 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates that the threatening of the security of another person without any consequences and when only one person is involved is liable to private prosecution. This change was made particularly due to prosecutors' experience of a large number of withdrawn complaints of injured parties during the later stages of the procedure. The adequacy of this solution is being reviewed in 2014.

Para 81) The available statistics show the improved effectiveness of justice in terms of prosecutions and conviction related to the offence of domestic violence under Article 191 of the Criminal Code.

National Report:
Para 16) In 2016, Slovenia adopted the Civil Union Act, granting equal status as marriage to the civil union of heterosexual couples and of same-sex couples, except in the part relating to medically assisted procreation and the joint adoption of children.
Para 62) Slovenia is committed to women’s empowerment and gender equality both at the national and international levels. Slovenia’s national policy priorities are set in the Resolution on the National Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men 2015-2020. 25 Measures for the protection of women’s rights are more specifically determined in periodic plans. In 2018, the Government adopted the Report on the Implementation of the Resolution on the National Programme for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men 2015-2020 for 2016 and 2017 and the Periodic Plan for 2018 and 2019.
Para 63) Through regular annual calls for proposals, Slovenia co-funds projects of NGOs related to equality between women and men, with the main focus on awareness raising, prevention of gender-based discrimination and elimination of gender stereotypes, whereby special attention is devoted to vulnerable groups. In 2019, public calls are being issued for the implementation of social security programmes covering the active integration of Roma women and other vulnerable groups of women with the aim of strengthening their integration in the local environment and their prospects on the labour market in order to reduce the risk of poverty. Since 2017, to prevent gender-based discrimination, gender perspective has been included in newly published school textbooks. Where necessary, updates of primary- and secondary-school curricula include changes with regard to gender equality.

UN Compilation:
Para 9) 9. The HR Committee expressed concern that hate speech on the Internet, including in online forums, was on the rise, particularly against … lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.
Para 13) The HR Committee regretted that the amendments to the Law on Marriage and Family Relations granting, on an equal basis, the rights of same-sex couples to inherit, to access reproductive treatments and to adopt children were made subject to a referendum in December 2015 notwithstanding the provisions of the Constitution to the contrary, and that they were rejected.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 15) JS1 stated that sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics were not explicitly mentioned among the grounds of discrimination in article 14 of the Constitution. EU-FRA and JS1 noted that the Protection against Discrimination Act prohibited discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
Para 16) CoE-Commissioner noted that while same-sex marriage was rejected in the 2015 referendum, Slovenia later adopted a law regulating civil unions, including for same-sex couples. EU-FRA stated that the law made same-sex registered partnership largely equivalent to marriage as of 2017. However, that same-sex partners were not allowed to adopt children or entitled to assisted reproduction.

National Report:
Para 47) Equal pay for women and men for equal work is guaranteed by the Employment Relationship Act, which also incorporates the relevant recommendations of the ILO. The Government did not adopt any particular measures to reduce the male-female income disparity, except for awareness rising on the persisting gender pay gap and its causes on the occasion of European Equal Pay Day. The 2012 data show that the average pay of women was 4.6% below the average pay of men, making it one of the smallest disparities in the EU.

UN Compilation:
Para 35) CEDAW expressed regret that Slovenia had not taken steps to increase the number of women mayors in the country.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 44) OSCE/ODIHR stated that the representation of women in political life has been low but has increased slowly over the past decade and that following the full implementation of a gender quota in the 4 December 2011 election, the percentage of women elected increased to 31 percent, as compared to 13 percent after the 2008 elections.

Para 48) EU-FRA stated that the lowest gender pay gaps in the EU in 2010 are found, among others in Slovenia (4.4%).