ORAL STATEMENT
Humanists International
UN Human Rights Council, 57th session (9 September –11 October 2024)
UPR Outcome of Slovakia
Speaker: Andrej Lúčny
Mr President,
I make this statement on behalf of Humanists International and the Association of Secularists, ETHOS. From our experience in Slovakia, there is a critical need to address reproductive rights, LGBTI+ rights, and the prevention of violence against women and children.
We regret the refusal of Slovakia to ratify the Istanbul Convention,[1] after significant misinformation spread to this end by the Catholic Church.[2] The acceptance of the European Directive on combating violence against women is a positive step, but it is essential not only to accept legal documents but also to ensure their implementation. Similarly, we are disappointed that Slovakia refused to accept recommendations on LGBTI+ rights.[3] We hope to see their robust inclusion in the upcoming National Strategy, as Slovakia highlights.[4] However, many of the specific measures recommended in the UPR, such as introducing a framework on the rights of same-sex couples and addressing violence against LGBTI+ individuals, must be included.
In Slovakia, abuse by the Catholic Church has only recently been acknowledged.[5] The Office of the Children’s Ombudsman is meant to work to protect children, but his links to religious groups,[6] as well as his comments on LGBTI+ individuals[7] and corporal punishment[8] call into question the Government’s dedication to protecting children, particularly victims of abuse.
Moreover, while recommendations around corruption have been accepted in the UPR, we have seen the government coalition overhaul the criminal code to ensure impunity for many with links to the government.[9] The abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the reduction in penalties for a wide range of crimes epitomizes this.[10] Those who have truly fought corruption in the past have been vilified by the Government, and press freedom has been curtailed.[11]
Democracy and the rule of law is being weakened in Slovakia as the Government transforms and dismantles public media and cultural institutions. We call on Slovakia to reverse this decline and to ensure robust human rights protections for all.
Thank you.
[1] A/HRC/57/13/Add.1 131.13
[2] https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/after-bulgaria-slovakia-too-fails-to-ratify-the-istanbul-convention/; https://wave-network.org/from-istanbul-to-a-clash-of-civilisations-a-story-of-a-hijacked-convention-in-slovakia/
[3] A/HRC/57/13/Add.1 131.216-131.233
[4] A/HRC/57/13/Add.1 131.216
[5] https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/church-in-slovakia-issues-landmark
[6] https://spravy.rtvs.sk/2022/05/kontroverzne-nazory-na-lgbt-i-dobrocinna-organizacia-novy-komisar-pre-deti-vyvolal-rozdielne-reakcie/
[7] https://spravy.rtvs.sk/2022/05/kontroverzne-nazory-na-lgbt-i-dobrocinna-organizacia-novy-komisar-pre-deti-vyvolal-rozdielne-reakcie/
[8] https://domov.sme.sk/c/22926550/jozef-miklosko-komisar-pre-deti-rozhovor.html
[9] https://www.politico.eu/article/slovakia-corruption-europe-robert-fico-politics-tv-culture/
[10] https://www.politico.eu/article/slovakia-corruption-europe-robert-fico-politics-tv-culture/
[11] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43226567; https://www.politico.eu/article/slovak-robert-fico-government-shuns-independent-press-wants-turn-public-broadcaster-into-state-run-tv/
'UPR outcome of Slovakia', Humanists International