Commission Report 2002 (Slovakia)

Economic, social and cultural rights

Some progress has been made in this area, but a number of issues continue to merit attention.

It appears that no budgetary allocation has been set aside this year for the implementation of the policy paper on equal opportunities between women and men, reported last year. NGOs suggest that the paper is of a purely declaratory nature. Despite the positive changes introduced in the new Labour Code and reported about last year, various sources state that women are often still marginalised and face unequal treatment as regards working conditions, remuneration, professional training and career opportunities (see Chapter 13 - Social policy and employment).

Out of 150 Members of the last Parliament, 19 were women. Two out of the twenty members of Government are women. As a result of the parliamentary elections of September 2002, 22 women are now members of the Slovak parliament.

The advisory body for the promotion and protection of the rights of children, mentioned last year, is now operational and preparing, inter alia, a National Action Plan for Children and related legislative tasks.

In November 2001, Slovakia became a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The integration of socially vulnerable and disabled persons in society remains a matter of concern. The 2001 National Programme for the Development of Living Conditions for Citizens with Disabilities has been gradually implemented. Greater accessibility has been achieved for new public buildings. Relevant legislation has been amended in the areas of employment, social security and education. Socially vulnerable and disabled persons, however, reportedly continue to face discrimination in access to higher education, employment, and social services provided by the Government.

Living conditions in institutions for mental patients give cause for concern. Conditions are very poor with overcrowding, shortage of sanitary facilities, medication, and staff. It is important to ensure that all institutions for the mentally ill provide decent living conditions and that degrading treatment of those in care is prevented.

The involvement of trade unions in social dialogue has been satisfactory. However, there are some concerns that implementation of legislation in this field is not duly enforced in all cases.

The revised European Social Charter has still not been ratified by the Parliament. Slovakia has not undertaken to be bound by the Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints.

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