Human Rights Committee considers the report of Slovakia

GENEVA (18 October 2016) - The Human Rights Committee today concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Slovakia on its implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Presenting the report of Slovakia, Fedor Rosocha, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that the National Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights till 2020, adopted in 2015, was the first programme document which reflected the modern understanding of human rights in the sense of international legal commitments.  The Concept for the Fight against Extremism 2015-2019 contained measures to prevent and eliminate radicalization, extremism and related anti-social activities, while the 2013 Anti-Discrimination Act strengthened the legislation by extending the definition of indirect discrimination and adapting the definition of temporary measures to include the elimination of discrimination on the basis of racial or ethnic origin, or on the identification of persons as belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities.  The integration of the Roma minority was a long-term priority and in 2012, the Strategy for the Integration of the Roma Population by 2020 was adopted which focused on the elimination of multiple discrimination against women and the reduction of gender inequalities in marginalised Roma communities. 

In the ensuing discussion, Committee Experts commended the continuous efforts of Slovakia to enhance the protection of human rights and recognized the positive developments in the area of combatting violence against women and children, and in improving the conditions of vulnerable groups.  Experts were concerned about the persistent low representation of women in political and public life and asked about concrete progress in reducing gender inequalities in the participation of women and men in decision-making positions.  Forced sterilization was criminalized but was still practiced in public hospitals, particularly on women of Roma origin, while sterilization was compulsory for transgender persons in order to obtain legal gender recognition.  The situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in Slovakia was of utmost concern, in particular the lack of respect for their rights, and the proliferation of hate speech, including by the clergy.  Experts welcome the commitment to making progress in the inclusion of Roma people and urged for more focused attention to the segregation of Roma children in education, which continued in several areas of the country.

In concluding remarks, Mr. Rosocha recognized the value, passion, dedication and professionalism of the Committee Experts and the important contribution of non-governmental organizations, and reiterated the commitment of Slovakia to the implementation of the Covenant in the best possible way.

Dheerujlall Seetulsingh, Committee Vice-Chairperson, took note of the many human rights reforms in the pipeline, and urged Slovakia to provide adequate human and financial resources to the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights, and to be at the forefront of the abolition of the practice of forced sterilization of transgender persons.

The delegation of Slovakia included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Roma Communities; Presidium of the Police Force; Judiciary Guards and Prison Wardens Corps; Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport; Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family; and the Permanent Mission of Slovakia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Live webcast of the Committee’s public meetings is available at http://webtv.un.org/

The Committee will next meet at 3 p.m. today, 18 October, when it is scheduled to begin the consideration of the third periodic report of the Republic of Moldova  (CCPR/C/MDA/3) in Chamber I and the consideration of the fourth periodic report of Jamaica (CCPR/C/JAM/4) in Chamber II.

Report

The fourth periodic report of Slovakia can be read here: CCPR/C/SVK/4.

Presentation of the Report

FEDOR ROSOCHA, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that Slovakia had adopted the National Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in February 2015, which assessed priority areas for urgent attention till 2020, and identified vulnerable and marginalized groups and individuals.  The Strategy was the first programme document reflecting modern understanding of human rights in the sense on international legal commitments.  The Concept for the Fight against Extremism 2015-2019, adopted in March 2015, had established priorities in the field of the prevention and elimination of radicalization, extremism and related anti-social activities threatening the fundamental rights and freedoms of persons and the foundations of a democratic legal State.  In 2011, the Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance had been established as one of the committees of the Slovak Governmental Council for Human Rights.  A long-term priority in Slovakia was the improvement of the situation of the Roma minority and especially the situation of children.  The strategy for the integration of the Roma population by 2020, adopted in 2012, focused on the elimination of multiple discrimination against Roma women, the reduction of gender inequalities in marginalised Roma communities, and support for the economic independence of Roma women.  A significant step towards further reinforcement of anti-discrimination legislation was the adoption of the Anti-Discrimination Act in April 2013, which extended the definition of indirect discrimination and now included the threat of discrimination.  It also adapted the definition of temporary measures to include the elimination of discrimination on the basis of racial or ethnic origin, or on the identification of persons as belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities.

The National Programme of Combatting Human Trafficking 2015-2018 defined the concept of combatting human trafficking; it aimed to support coordinated activity among all stakeholders for the reduction of risks and prevention of crimes of human trafficking, as well as to create conditions for the provision of support and aid to victims.  The legislative framework for the punishment of violence against women and trafficking in women had been recently reinforced in Slovakia, including the guarantee of legal assistance to victims.  Progress had been made in preventing and eliminating violence against women, and in particular in the scope and quality of services rendered to women and children victims of violence.  The National Action Plan for the Elimination and Prevention of Violence against Women 2014-2019 aimed to create, implement and coordinate a complex national policy of prevention and elimination of violence against women, and included concrete proposals such as the preparation of a legislative act on domestic violence and violence against women, and the establishment of a coordination and methodology centre.  The recently adopted law on control of the execution of some decisions through technical means represented the most significant systemic change in the penitentiary system and towards the development of alternative punishments.  As of 1 January 2016, the house arrest penalty was being applied according to this new law; it would not only reduce the number of persons in prisons and so avoid prison overcrowding, but would also pave the way for strengthening the process of social reintegration and renewing social contacts in the natural environment.

Questions from the Committee Experts
 
A Committee Expert commended the continuous efforts of Slovakia to enhance the protection of human rights and recognized positive developments, including being among the first countries in Europe to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women, and ratifying the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Committee had previously expressed concern that none of the provisions of the Covenant had been invoked before national courts since the last consideration, despite the fact that in the Slovak national legal system, international human rights treaties ratified and promulgated took precedence over national law.  The delegation was asked to specify the notion of “general courts”, and provide statistics about the references to the Covenant contained in the decisions of tribunals of first instance, including disaggregated data with regard to the mention of the provisions of the Covenant in decisions of civil courts versus criminal courts in Slovakia.  What initiatives and concrete measures had been taken to disseminate the Covenant and raise awareness among judges, prosecutors and lawyers?  What was the procedure in place in Slovakia for the implementation of the Committee’s views, and was there national legislation in place which indicated the procedures for implementing at the national level the views adopted by human rights bodies? 

The Expert noted that the representation of women in executive and legislative bodies in Slovakia was very low: they represented only 15 to 20 per cent of the National Council, the current Government did not include a single woman, and no women were involved in regional governments.  Which measures had been adopted to increase the representation of women in key political bodies?  What concrete progress was being made to reduce gender inequalities in the participation of women and men in decision-making positions, on the basis of the National Strategy for Gender Equality 2014-2019, and what were the results of the initiative “Family and Work” taken in 2015 by the Ministry of Work, Social Affairs and Family?

Although forced sterilization was a crime under the penal legislation of Slovakia, several cases of alleged forced sterilization in public hospitals had been brought before the national courts and the European Court for Human Rights by women of Roma origin.  This Committee and other human rights bodies had already expressed concern about the ongoing forced or illegal sterilization of Roma women.  Which procedures were in place to monitor the proper implementation of the Health Care Law on 2004 which required the full and informed consent of women, especially Roma women, who sought sterilization services in health facilities?  The delegation was also asked about the means of redress for violations of the norms prohibiting illegal sterilisation, and about measures to raise awareness among women, in particular Roma women, about their rights and ways to seek reparation in cases of illegal sterilisation.  Forced sterilization seemed to be a reality for transgender women or men, with administrative authorities requesting them to undergo compulsory sterilization to obtain legal gender recognition.

Other Experts asked about measures taken to ensure the full independence of the Slovak national human rights institution; about the functioning of the legal aid centre, and the services extended to various categories of persons, including persons with disabilities; and about the measures taken to address lengthy court procedures for victims of racial discrimination.  Experts also asked the delegation to explain the concept of the fight against extremism adopted in 2015 and to assess its implementation in practice. 

Another Expert asked whether hate speech was stipulated in the law as a crime; which were the target groups for various educational and training activities related to the fight against extremism; and which concrete measures were being taken to combat anti-Islamism and hate speech online.  What were the results of the implementation of the law of criminal liability of enterprises which had entered into force this year?  The situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in Slovakia was of utmost concern and the delegation was asked what was being done in practice to promote respect for this group of persons, to react more strongly to the violations of their human rights, and to address the hate speech, including by clergy, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.  The Expert welcomed the commitment of Slovakia to making progress in the inclusion of Roma people and said that more focused attention by authorities was needed in this regard, particularly in addressing the segregation of Roma children in education which continued in several areas of the country.  The Expert commended the signing by Slovakia of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women – Istanbul Convention – and stressed the need to ratify it and proceed with the harmonization of the national legislation, and to keep in mind that violence was not only physical but psychological and emotional as well.

With regard to the situation of persons with disabilities, a Committee Expert asked about the impact of the guidelines for the admission of children with disabilities in mainstream schools which had been adopted a year ago; and the situation with deinstitutionalization, including the obstacles in the process, whether human and financial resources were sufficient, and how many persons with disabilities who had been deinstitutionalized had benefited from community-based services.  The Expert asked about the expected date for the legal reforms which would affect the provisions concerning the legal capacity of persons with disabilities; measures taken to ensure informed consent by persons with disabilities to their treatment; and how many net-cage beds still existed in psychiatric hospitals, and which alternatives to this method existed in Slovakia.

Response by the Delegation

The delegation explained that the notion of “general court” meant district courts and regional courts.  Slovakia had cited 184 court cases in which the Covenant had been referred to, and this information came from a database on judicial decisions which started in 2011 when all courts were obliged to publish their decisions online.  Training on the provisions of the International Covenant for judges was available but was not compulsory, as it was part of continuing professional training.

Responding to questions related to the representation of women in political and public life, in the judiciary, and in the economy, a delegate said that the Government currently had 15 members of whom two were women, which was progress in the representation of women in politics.  Over the years, both women and men had become more interested in political participation, as evidenced by the greater number of candidates in all electoral lists by all parties.  Some 63 per cent of all judges were women, and at the end of 2013, of the 1,385 judges, 511 were men and the rest were women.  Out of eight presidents of regional courts, four were women, and women held top positions in other important judicial institutions.  Some 28 per cent of members of supervisory bodies in the 86 listed companies in Slovakia were women. 

The lack of available childcare services disadvantaged mothers of young children, and only about 30 per cent of mothers with children aged six or younger were employed, compared with 83 per cent of men.  The Family and Work Programme aimed to provide options for flexible working hours and conditions for parents of young children, while still providing for social protection.  Slovakia had 70 ambassadors around the world at the moment, of whom eight were women.  

Any decision by human rights treaty bodies was received by the ministry responsible for its implementation; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consulted with the concerned ministry and prepared a proposal for the Government, which would approve the proposal and exact measures to be implemented, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would then communicate to the concerned human rights treaty body.

Slovakia had provided a thorough explanation on legislative and practical measures to eliminate shortcomings and prevent forced sterilization to a number of human rights treaty bodies, including the Committee against Torture, and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.  In 2005, legislative measures on the rights of patients had been adopted which were in full compliance with international standards.  Full and informed consent was required in all cases of sterilization.  Generally binding regulations had been further developed by the Ministry of Health which provided insurance that comprehensive and detailed information would be given to the patient before the sterilization, in a way that the patient could understand, including in the Roma language.

Slovakia was now in the final stages of submitting the proposal to the Government which would ensure the full independence of the national human rights institution.  One of the reasons why the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights had again been given status B was the insufficient allocation of resources.  It was expected that the reform would be done by end of this year.  The Legal Aid Centre issued an annual report on the services it provided, but the information was not disaggregated.  In 2015, a total of 5,500 requests for legal aid had been received, out of which more than 3,800 had been granted.

The concept of combatting extremism 2015-2018 was focused on preventive and repressive measures against activities of extremism and radicalism.  A special chapter of the Criminal Law addressed criminal activities of extremism.  The Ministry of Justice was currently preparing an amendment to this law which would specifically address extremists’ criminal acts and would create a specialist department for criminal activities of extremism.  The amendment would also include the crime of apartheid. 

Hate speech was stipulated in several crimes, including incitement to hatred, incitement to violence, and hate speech based on race and religion, and Slovakia was also adding incitement to violence based on sexual orientation which was currently in the Parliament.  The law recognized race, minority, sexual orientation and others as special motives, which carried a harsher sentence for the crime.

The Ministry of Justice would be putting forward a draft for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention for public consultation by the end of this year.  The Government was in the process of creating legislation for victims of crime, which should be ready for release early next year, and would include provisions of the Istanbul Convention.

In response to questions concerning the continuing segregation of Roma children in education in some areas of the country, a delegate said that in 2015, Slovakia had adopted the School Act which clearly separated special education needs of students based on their health and disability from special needs arising from socially disadvantaged situations.  From 1 September 2016, the new system of financing of students came into force.  The process of inclusive education had started several years ago, and Slovakia was trying to open its education system – the challenge was the adequate preparation of teachers, particularly in areas with a high concentration of socially disadvantaged children.  Action plans were being adopted to address the situation in the 19 most disadvantaged districts, which were also those with the highest concentration of marginalized Roma children, which would also address the situation in education. 

Another delegate stressed that the disadvantaged situation of Roma communities and Roma children in particular was a result of the accumulation of centuries of marginalization and it was important to focus action on the local level.  The Office of the Presidency had allocated € 380 million for the 2014-2020 period, which focused on specific communities.  The topic of Roma integration was an important one in Slovakia, including for the Presidency of the Council of Europe, where Slovakia was promoting the integration of Roma across European countries, including through support for the upcoming meeting of European ministers in December 2016 which would focus on the acceleration of the implementation of Roma inclusion strategies.

Since 1 July 2016, civil courts in Slovakia could not decide on stripping anyone of their legal capacity.  Those with limited legal capacity, and those without legal capacity, could petition courts for the review of their situation, and once their legal capacity was restored, it could not be taken away again.  Slovakia was working on the legislation on the rights of persons with disabilities and there would be positive developments in this regard soon.

Questions by the Committee Experts

In their follow-up questions, Committee Experts expressed appreciation for taking into consideration the recent decisions by the European Court for Human Rights concerning forced sterilization, and noted that although there had been cases, there were not many judgements, also due to the statute of limitations, and asked for additional information on court cases and compensation for forced sterilization.  The delegation was also asked to inform on the number of investigations and prosecutions for hate speech, and to explain the rights of transgender persons, particularly in relation to compulsory or forced sterilization. The referendum on same sex unions had been declared nil and void as less than 50 per cent of the electorate turned up to vote, and Experts asked how Slovakia would continue to address the issue of same sex marriage, including adoption by same sex couples.

With regard to the role of the Constitutional Court and the rights of individuals to address this court, a Committee Expert noted that international instruments prevailed over the national legislation in the legal system in Slovakia and asked whether a judge could disregard those national norms which were in violation of the international norms, or if an ordinary judge had to address the Constitutional Court to resolve the conflict.  This was an important consideration which had implications on the individuals’ right to remedy.  Which measures had been adopted to implement the content of decisions of human rights treaty bodies and this Committee in particular?  The awareness of the judicial and public officials about the Covenant and its Optional Protocol was an important factor that contributed to the implementation of the human rights treaty bodies’ views – what measures were being taken in this regard?

The citizens of Slovakia were not entitled to challenge the rule of law but had to turn the issue to the Ombudsman: what was the procedure to follow, and what measures were available to the Ombudsmen to address all situations of infringements of rights?

The delegation was asked about the reasons for which the legislation concerning the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights had not been submitted in June as planned, but had been postponed to December, and about measures taken to guarantee its full financial independence.

Response by the Delegation

Responding to questions concerning forced sterilization of transgender persons, a delegate said that the current regulations used outdated language and that the Ministry of Health was currently preparing new regulations and new language for medical personnel who were helping patients to transition.  It was hoped that the practice of sterilization would be abolished, not only in Slovakia but in many other countries in Europe where it was still practiced.

The referendum on same sex marriages had been an initiative by a non-governmental organization which had gathered 400,000 signatures and submitted the request for the referendum to the President, who had then submitted it to the Constitutional Court to give their opinion of the four questions contained in the proposal.  The Court had stricken one question and the Government was thereon obliged to hold the referendum.

Slovakia had joined the trend of countries’ ending the institutional isolation of people requiring long-term care, and deinstitutionalization remained a priority of the Government for the period 2016-2020.  The national pilot project had been implemented which involved 1,301 participants – employees and clients of social services alike – during which a transformation plan for facilities had been prepared.  Slovakia was now in the process of finalizing a national project concerning the transformation of institutions over the period of 72 months; any institution in the country was free to join the project.

Questions by the Committee Experts

In the next round of questions, a Committee Expert inquired about the excessive use of force by the police and asked about penalties for the convicted offenders and compensation awarded to the victims.  At what stage of the detention process could a detainee exercise his or her rights in practice, and what was the situation of minors in detention?  What measures were in place to revise the policy of relying on diplomatic assurances in the refoulement of individuals who faced risks of torture and ill treatment?  The judiciary in Slovakia was independent, but the Expert asked for detailed information about its human and financial resources, about the process of stabilization of the judiciary, and about the impact of the new law on the criminal responsibility of business enterprises. 

Another Committee Expert recognized the detailed answers that Slovakia had provided to the list of issues concerning procedures to reduce pre-trial detention and replace it with other measures; reducing over-crowding in places of detention and providing for measures alternative to deprivation of liberty; and the bodies that had a possibility to carry out visits to places of detention, including the police stations and psychiatric facilities, and whether they had the right to receive complaints from detainees and patients and follow up on those cases. 

With regard to pre-trial detention, what was the minimum and maximum period, in particular in cases involving accusations of terrorist activities?  House arrest had been provided for in the legislation 10 years ago, but this measure was rarely used: since 2006, it had been applied to 222 cases despite the fact that there were still some 2,500 persons in detention who could benefit from this measure.  What were the reasons for the low application of house arrest? 

With regard to trafficking in persons, the delegation was asked about measures taken to identify victims of trafficking in persons, particularly nationals; the support and care provided to victims, including through shelters and health facilities; statistics on prosecutions and sanctions to offenders; and compensation and redress provided to victims.  Slovakia was a country of origin of victims of trafficking: what measures were being undertaken to address trafficking in persons at the source and to support Slovaks abroad who were victims of human trafficking?

The Committee Expert recognized the important measures taken to fight violence, particularly domestic violence, and asked whether alternative measures were considered, such as the revision of the Family Act to introduce zero-tolerance to domestic violence, and additional measures to protect children from violence, including corporal punishment which was still practiced, including at home.

Concerning the situation of asylum seekers and refugees, a Committee Expert asked about the number of families with minor children who had been detained during the reporting period and the duration of their detention.  There were two facilities for asylum seekers – were those enough to provide accommodation for all those in need and what alternative accommodation options were available?  The Committee welcomed the legal amendments in 2011 allowing for more favourable conditions for family reunification, but the time limit available for the favourable treatment – three months only - made it impossible for refugees to gather all the necessary documentation and put in a request.

The delegation was also asked whether the right to conscientious objection could be exercised, including during military service, and about measures taken to clarify the law in this regard; the system in place to ensure the full participation of persons belonging to national minorities in decision-making processes; the main challenges in the protection of national minorities, and the functioning of the Plenipotentiary for Minorities established in 2012; and about the measures taken to address Anti-Gypsyism in the education system and to protect Roma from all forms of discrimination and hate speech.

Response by the Delegation

The courts could directly apply international instruments in Slovakia but the legal provisions in this regard were not very clear; if the provisions were unconstitutional, then a request had to be submitted to the Constitutional Court.  The judges could make a decision based on international law even if the provisions of the national law were contrary.  A person whose rights were infringed upon by State authorities could request the Ombudsmen to act on his or her behalf and represent them before the court, including the Constitutional Court.  A delegate said that in 2015, there had been 24 convictions for hate crimes or crimes of extremism, and said that the change of the Government in March 2016 was one of the factors that had played a role in postponing the legislation concerning the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights.

Crimes committed by police officers, including race-motivated crimes, were investigated by an independent body of the Ministry of Interior under the supervision of the dedicated prosecutor.  In 2015, there had been 53 crimes committed by police officers, of which six were related to the use of excessive force.  The application of the rights of detainees started with their admission to a facility; detainees could file complaints at any time, either to the personnel of the facility, to the supervising prosecutor or any other authority, though a locked complaint box.
 
The 2016 budget for the judiciary was €179 million; the budget would be increased by €17 million in 2017.  There were 1,327 judges, 4,000 other staff, and 672 auxiliary staff in the judiciary sector.

Progress was being made in the use of alternatives to detention and deprivation of liberty.  On 1 January 2016 the new Act had entered into force which regulated the use of house arrest, which authorized judges to issue the order based on stipulated criteria; to date, some 300 persons were eligible to transform their prison sentence to house arrest, but only a few chose to use this facility and the majority preferred to complete their sentence in a jail. 

Slovakia had in place a number of measures to combat trafficking in persons, including through the National Programme for Combatting Human Trafficking 2015-2018, measures to provide support to victims of trafficking in persons, establishing specialized investigators, and setting up inter-agency coordination mechanisms.  Slovakia recognized that trafficking in persons was a growing trend, and that more was known about victims than about perpetrators.  Fifteen cases of human trafficking had been prosecuted in 2014, and 18 in 2015, involving labour and sexual exploitation, including forced marriages.  The programme for the support and protection of victims was governed by the 2013 decree of the Ministry of Interior, and aimed to protect fundamental rights and dignity; victims were not required to cooperate with the investigator.  The victims were provided with assisted return, immediate crisis care, and reintegration, in accordance with personal plans.

There were two facilities where persons from third countries could be detained for being in Slovakia illegally or without adequate personal identification documents.  Those facilities were the last resort, for those aliens who did not have anywhere else to go or could not place a bond.  The facilities had adequate conditions to also accommodate families with children.  Thirteen minors had been placed in the facilities in 2011, and 302 in 2015, the year of greatest influx of unauthorised arrivals in Slovakia; at that time, some children were also placed in police detention facilities as an emergency measure.

Compulsory military service had been abolished in 2006 and Slovakia had fully professional military forces.  The members of the military force were free to leave their service at will.  Conscription for time of emergency or war was still in force; eligible men who did not want to serve in time of emergency had to make a statement of objection or refusal of military service in time of peace.  Such persons would be called for alternative service in time of emergency or war.

Slovakia adopted a highly specialized approach to children with special educational and training requirements.  Such children could choose whether to join mainstream schools, special classes in mainstream schools, or special schools.  Special schools were designated exclusively for the education of children with disabilities who had a complete diagnosis that indicated health or other disability of the child. 

Steps to combat Anti-Gypsy sentiments included specialized training of the police officers and the judiciary on non-discrimination and the non-discrimination provisions of the European law.  A specialized seminar on ethical reporting about Roma communities for journalists was being prepared, while a task group had been established to develop a plan to influence public opinion towards a more inclusive society, and the more effective implementation of the Roma Inclusion Strategy 2020.  Slovakia was also working on drafting a comprehensive communication campaign to promote the inclusion of national minorities.

Concerning the participation of Roma minorities in decision-making, a delegate said that a national platform was being put in place to bring together all stakeholders and partners for the implementation of the Roma Inclusion Strategy.  Representatives of Roma would participate in the review and monitoring of the implementation of the Strategy.  A platform for Roma Youth was also being created in order to facilitate the inclusion of the youth in regional and national fora.  Slovakia had adopted a chart of minority languages, of which five had been included in schools.

Concluding Remarks

FEDOR ROSOCHA, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that the dialogue was an opportunity to learn from each other about best practices in the implementation of international instruments and what challenges were encountered on the way.  Mr. Rosocha recognized the value, passion, dedication and professionalism of the Committee Experts and the important contribution of non-governmental organizations, and reiterated the commitment of Slovakia to the implementation in the best possible way.

DHEERUJLALL SEETULSINGH, Committee Vice-Chairperson, took note of the many human rights reforms in the pipeline in Slovakia: the upcoming ratification of the Istanbul Convention on violence against women, more tolerance towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, and the expected adoption of the law on victims.  The Committee hoped that the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights would be provided with adequate human and financial resources, which would enable it to obtain status A.  Forced sterilization, including of transgender persons, remained a concern and the Vice-Chairperson urged Slovakia to be at the forefront of the abolition of this practice.

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