Completed projects

Collecting data about sexual harassment for advocacy and reporting to regional mechanisms by NHRIs

Funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Value Programme, CERV Operating Grant 2023

Implementation period: 06/2023 – 12/2023

Description of the project

Sexual harassment (SH) as a form of discrimination and a form of gender-based violence is not only illegal under EU directives, but protection against SH is granted also by human rights binding documents on European and Global level. Despite the above-mentioned protection, SH is still present at our workplaces. NHRIs can play an active role in combating sexism in Europe through research, advocacy, and reporting, they can contribute to higher sensitivity against its various forms and to promote culture of zero tolerance of sexist behavior. To achieve these goals, NHRIs need to monitor cases of SH, identify barriers to reporting, protection measures at the workplaces and advocate for more effective policies on the national level.

SNCHR has an ambition to monitor workplaces at various public sectors with the health sector as the first one selected because there were several cases reported in past years and a profession of nurse or health assistants are being sexualized in the media. Before the research implementation, SNCHR will organize in-person seminar with other CSOs and academic experts who executed various types of research of SH in Slovakia with an aim to develop a list of recommendations for better quality of the research and to train research assistants for the data collection in the field.

In the final phase of the research, after evaluation and interpretation of data, SNCHR will organize round table with stakeholders, CSOs and HRD to share results and discuss recommendations.

The project objectives

The aim of this project is to execute research on sexual harassment at workplaces in the health sector. This will be done in cooperation with civil society organisations and academic experts who will be invited to share their recommendations and lessons learned. The recommendations and results of the research will be published and shared with national and international stakeholders.

Planned results of the project

  • Activity 1: Data collection and research on national level: research mapping experience with various forms of sexual harassment.
    Publication in SK (pdf)
    Publication in EN (will be available soon)
  • Activity 2: National meeting with stakeholders and HRD: seminar about do’s and don’ts of any research of traumatic experience and sensitive issues.
  • Activity 3: Activity that promotes learning from national initiatives by NHRI peers in Europe: workshop with NHRIs and experts on collection of data about sexual harassment for reporting and advocacy.
    Recommendations (pdf)
  • Activity 4: National meeting with stakeholders and HRD – presentation of the results and recommendations at the round table.

Fostering innovative approaches to rule of law monitoring in Slovakia

Grafika

The project is supported by the financial contribution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands.

Implementation period: 11/2021 – 09/2022

Project partners: Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC), Transparency International Slovakia

Description of the project

The results of several existing monitoring tools, including the Eurobarometer, the European Rule of Law Mechanism, the European Union Justice Scoreboard, or the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index show that the rule of law in Slovakia has been systematically deteriorating, with growing concerns and challenges in some areas.

Therefore, it is necessary to focus on improving and finding innovative ways in promoting the strengthening of the rule of law. It is inevitable not only to identify the serious shortcomings in the selected areas, but also to focus on regular monitor of progress in the problematic areas.

Currently there is no comprehensive tool available, covering wide range of areas of rule of law that reflects data and information from Slovakia and that represents a smart mixture of quantitative and qualitative data. Such a monitoring tool would contribute to the overall improvement of the access to information on the state of rule of law and enhance the effectiveness of activities of key stakeholders working in the field.

The project objectives

The project aims at developing a practical and meaningful tool for monitoring and evaluating the state of rule of law in Slovakia. The project also aims to identify, monitor and evaluate the most searing flaws in the field by providing knowledge and insight in an accessible manner to a wide range of stakeholders.

Planned results of the project

Methodology  of the Tracking Tool

Explanatory note introducing the purpose and application of the Tracking Tool

Participatory process including for example, surveys, online focus groups, thematic consultations and a roundtable with expert stakeholders

Launch of the Tracking Tool – small conference for key stakeholders

Short video presenting the Tracking Tool

Web application

Enhancing the use of the reporting procedure of the European social charter in Slovakia with main focus on group 4 on children, families and migrants

This project is supported by the funding from the Council of Europe.

Implementation period: 05/2022 – 10/2022

Description of the project

The European Social Charter (ESC) is a Council of Europe treaty that guarantees fundamental social and economic rights. ESC guarantees a human rights related to employment, housing, health, education, social protection and welfare. Its implementation in Council of Europe´s member states is supervised by the European Committee of Social Rights under the established reporting procedure.

The reporting procedure aims to improve the realisation of the rights guaranteed by ESC, and to facilitate regular dialogue with states and the civil society organisations (CSOs). Under this procedure, states annually submit reports on the implementation of ESC. The monitoring procedure relies also on additional comments and information submitted by CSOs.

The CSOs reporting has not been fully explored in Slovakia and few CSOs actively sumit their comments and information to the European Committee of Social Rights. The Centre, thus, aims to strengthen capacities of local and grassroots organisations in Slovakia that play a key role in protecting and promoting economic and social rights at the national level and have first-hand information on the gaps in protection and challenges.

By building capacities of CSOs working with topics relevant for reporting in the upcoming year, the Centre will support their engagement in the reporting procedure and promote joint reporting initiatives. The cooperation with CSOs will also enable the Centre to gather information and data relevant for its own reporting. Consequently, the Centre will be able to better target its alternative report and prioritise issues covered so that its report complement comments submitted by CSOs.

The project objectives

The aim of the project is to enhance the use of the reporting procedure concerning the implementation of ESC in Slovakia with main focus on Group 4 Articles (Children, Families, Migrants) that are subject to reporting in 2023. In order to promote reporting of CSOs, the Centre will prepare a manual on applicable rules and deliver a capacity-building seminar for CSOs, which will also serve to gather information and data for the SNCHR´s 2023 submission to the reporting procedure. SNCHR will support joint reporting initiatives of CSOs, engage with CSOs and provide CSOs with a platform to effectively advocate for ratification of non-accepted provisions of the reported Articles.

Outputs of the project

  • Report on identified challenges in implementation of the Group 4 Articles
  • Internal database of CSOs working in the areas covered by the Group 4 Articles, including local and grassroots organisations
  • Practical manual for CSOs on reporting to the European Committee of Social Rights
  • Seminar for CSOs aimed at building capacity, networking and information gathering, followed up by a joint call to action advocating for ratification of non-accepted provisions of the Group 4 Articles
  • Online consultancies for CSOs to address outstanding questions about reportin

FOSTERING DIVERSITY AND NON-DISCRIMINATION IN SLOVAKIA (PRODISLO)

This project is funded by the European Commission’s 2014-2020 Programme – Equality, Rights, and Citizenship.

Implementation period: 4/2020 – 12/2021

Project partners: Pontis Foundation, European Community Studies Association (ESCA)

Description of the project

Despite the growing diversity of the Slovak society, prejudice and intolerance are still prevalent. According to a PwC Slovakia survey, 97 % of companies participating in the survey regard diversity and inclusion as one of their corporate values. However, more than half of these businesses (55 %) view these topics as a marketing tool for strengthening their labor market position. According to the PayLab Diversity study, 44 % of Slovak male and female employees have no experience with diversity in the workplace. If they have such experience, it is typically with mothers with small children, the elderly, or foreigners. While mothers and the elderly are positively perceived in the workplace, members of the LGBTIQ+ communities, people with disabilities and ethical minorities are perceived negatively.

LGBTIQ+ Communities

According to a nationwide survey conducted by a civil society organisation Iniciatíva Inakosť (Initiative Otherness), 66 % of LGBTIQ+ male and female respondents are afraid to go to work, and 36 % of male and female respondents report having had a negative work experience related to their sexual orientation. Several multinational employers, in particular, support social and communication activities centered on the inclusion of male and female LGBTIQ+ employees in the workplace. However, systematic measures to adapt the workplace to the needs of LGBTIQ+ employees (e.g. adoption of appropriate recruitment policies, privacy safeguards or the use of inclusive language) are frequently lacking, even among large employers. This is primarily due to a lack of technical or human resources.

Persons with disabilities

When it comes to persons with disabilities, many employers in Slovakia fail to meet their obligations and refuse to hire them. Rather, they seek out various types of subsidiary fulfillment. More than half of employers who employ people with disabilities, according to the Institute for Labor and Family Research, make the type or extent of the disability a condition for employment. Many employers lack experience in creating jobs for people with disabilities and they frequently associate them with high costs or other challenges.

Roma Communities

The high rate of unemployment among Roma men and women is concerning. In 2017, Roma men and women made up to 28% of the total number of unemployed people in Slovakia. Long-standing prejudice and discrimination against Roma men and women in Slovakia is the key barrier to their employment and inclusion in the workplace. The type of enterprise or employer where marginalized Roma are employed varies. The lack of qualifications of Roma male and female applicants, as well as their working habits, are the most significant barriers for larger employers and multinational corporations. It is primarily the prejudices of management and other employees in small and medium-sized businesses.

The project’s objectives

All vulnerable groups require a diverse and non-discriminatory working environment. Employees are more innovative, productive, and creative in problem solving when there is a culture of mutual respect, trust and empathy. It is also a useful tool for improving employee relations.

Given employers’ limited understanding of diversity in the workplace and male and female employees’ limited experience with diversity in the workplace, this project aimed to increase public awareness of diversity and non-discrimination in the workplace, build employers’ capacity to create, manage and maintain genuine diversity in the workplace, and measure and assess diversity in their respective workplace on a regular basis.

The project’s outputs

Video made for communication campaing “For Nice Mondays”