Slovakia

NAP 1

2021-2025

Introduction

This is the first NAP introduced by Slovakia. The departments responsible for implementation are; the Ministry ofLabour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Interior/Presidium of the Police Force, and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

General comments

Prior to the creation of their first NAP, Slovakia was committed to issues surrounding WPS. Slovakia ratified CEDAW and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1993, and in 2017 commitments were made to the UN General Assembly to increase the institutional participation of women, focus on the protection of women from both international and domestic violence and raise awareness of gender-based violence during conflict (A/72/501). Nationally, Slovakia has also passed the National Strategy for Gender Equality and the Gender Equality Plan for 2014-2019 and the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Elimination of Violence Against Women from 2014-2019. Slovakia additionally works closely with NATO, OECD, UNDP and recognises their commitments to Gender Equality and Human Rights as part of the European Union.

Key points/objectives

·     Increase participation of women in the Armed Forces, military and civilian missions and international organisations.

·     Ensuring equal pay for military women.

·     Developing regulations to prevent GBV and sexual harassment.

·     Increasing gender-education training and wider promotion of the WPS agenda.

·     Increasing women's representation in leadership and decision-making positions in the Police Force of the Slovak Republic and alternative leadership roles.

·     Active involvement in the WPS National Focal Points Network for the purpose of sharing information between member states.

Security Focus

·     20% of women listed as police officers are ready to be sent on peacekeeping missions.

·     No reference to increasing female presence in PK forces and instead focuses on female presence in national forces.

The NAP has shown a significant commitment by the Ministry of Defence to Gender Equality within the Slovakian military.

In particular, achievements highlighted include;

·     Extensive training for all troops on the recognition and prevention of sexual violence and the protection of women's security and human rights

·     Quarterly lectures on violence against women and human trafficking led by professional soldiers, focusing on victim-sensitive approaches for identification and assistance purposes.

·     Regular research conducted by the Ministry of Defence into gender equality producing human resource reports.

·     Creating a Gender Equality Centre in 2015focusing on the theoretical-practical analysis of interactions between male and female members of the military organisation.

·     The creation of support programmes focused on the social work of professional soldiers and their families working towards healthy living conditions.

Statistical analysis

·     26/246 UN uniformed personnel are female. 11% of the force.

·     Missions include: UNFICYP and UNTSO.

Sources

NAP:https://www.wpsnaps.org/app/uploads/2021/01/Slovakia-NAP-2021-2025.pdf

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PK stats: https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/03-country_and_mission_36_mar2021.pdf

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A/72/501 -https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N17/308/60/PDF/N1730860.pdf?OpenElement

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Flag Image Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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