SLOVAK NATIONAL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
SLOVAKIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background
Internal Organisation
Mandate and activities

Supporting individuals/Legal assistance
Monitoring the situation
Awareness-raising and training

Background

The Slovak National Centre was set up under Act No. 308/1993 on the Establishment of the Slovak National Centre, which came into force on 1 January 1994, following an Agreement between the United Nations and the Government of the Slovak Republic regarding the Establishment of the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights.

In accordance with Article 13 of the Council Directive 2000/43/EC implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin and the Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, the Centre is regarded as a national specialised body, entrusted to promote equal treatment and combat all forms of discrimination, according to the Anti-discrimination Act No. 365/2004, which came into force on 1 July 2004.

Internal Organisation

The Centre is headed by an administrative Board and an Executive Director.

Mandate and activities

The Centre’s competencies have been extended under the Anti-discrimination Act. The Centre carries out tasks in the field of human rights protection, including the rights of the child. To this end, the Centre:

monitors and assesses respect for human rights and respect for the principle of equal treatment;
collects and by request issues information about racism, xenophobia and antisemitism in the Slovak Republic,
conducts research and collects and disseminates information in the field of human rights,
prepares educational activities and participates in information campaigns to promote a tolerant society,
provides professional advice and a counseling service for victims of discrimination and intolerance,
provides expert opinions on the request of natural persons, legal entities or on its own initiative,
provides a library service,
provides other services concerning human rights, such as organising conferences, seminars, running public campaigns and making public statements in press and TV.

Supporting individuals/Legal assistance

The Centre can be called upon by anybody, who thinks he/she has been discriminated against. The Centre can represent parties in court proceedings concerning a breach of the principle of equal treatment. The Centre can request all relevant information, with a fixed time limit, from the courts, prosecution, other public authorities, local self-government bodies and other public entities. The Centre can also request information from non-governmental organisations.

Monitoring the situation

The Centre publishes an annual report on the situation of human rights in the Slovak Republic, as well as periodicals. The Annual report for 2004 is accessible on www.snslp.sk.

Awareness-raising and training

The Centre organises a variety of awareness-raising activities, including the EU “Diversity Against Discrimination” Campaign and conferences on subjects such as “The Protection of Human Rights in the Slovak Republic 1993-2004”, held in Bratislava in May 2004 and “Human Rights and Education on Combating Discrimination”, held in Bratislava in December 2004, as well as public statements in the press and on the radio.

CONTACT

Slovak National Centre for Human Rights
Slovenské národné stredisko pre ľudské práva
Kýčerského 5
SK-81104 BRATISLAVA
Tel.: 00421 2 572 039 14
Fax: 00421 2 572 039 35
E- mail: info@snslp.sk
Website: www.snslp.sk