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Strategy for Gender Equality 2014-2019

National strategy for gender equality and the National plan for gender equality for years 2014-2019

On July 9th 2014 the Government of the Slovak republic adopted the evaluation of the implementation of theNational Action Plan for Gender Equality 2010-2013 by Resolution No. 335/2014 whereby creation of the national gender equality strategy and Action Plan for Gender Equality 2014-2019 were indicated.

The evaluation of the National Strategy for Gender Equality 2009-2013 and the National Action Plan for Gender Equality 2010-2013 indicated that despite the abovementioned formal equality (equality de jure) and adoption of important strategic and conceptual documents, it must be noted that inequalities between women and men persist in almost all areas of private and public life. Although there is no doubt that some progress has been made and positive results have been achieved, the Slovak republic continues to be bottom placed in the charts of composite indicators for gender equality in the EU[1] and the OECD countries. The proposed strategy therefore targets precisely those areas where the Slovak republic, in comparison with other EU countries, repeatedly shows major gender disparities.

Government of the Slovak republic adopted on November 20th 2014 the new National strategy for gender equality for years 2014-2019 (“the Strategy”) and a related National action plan for gender equality for years 2014-201(“the action plan”). Specific activities and measures were prepared and discussed in cooperation with NGOs and the Government Council for Human Rights, Ethnic Minorities and Gender Equality. The strategy and the action plan are interconnected and represent a comprehensive conceptual framework for the promotion of gender equality into practice.

The documents address and propose measures in 6 areas of concern:

  1. Economic empowerment and independence
  2. Decision-making
  3. Education
  4. Dignity
  5. Institutional mechanisms
  6. International cooperation

The Strategy and related action plan stem from the basic strategic documents of the European Union and the Council of Europe. These bind the member states to adopt positive measures aimed at reaching gender equality[2]. Both documents simultaneously reflect the recommendations made by relevant international monitoring bodies, particularly recommendations formulated in the Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: Slovak Republic[3] as well as the commitments made by the Slovak republic itself as a response to these recommendations. Last but not least, the documents incorporate the tasks introduced in the Partnership Agreement with Slovakia on using EU Structural and Investment Funds for growth and jobs in 2014and the highlighted importance of equality between men and women as a horizontal principle, as well as the ex ante conditionality for utilizing the ESIF. Eventually, the strategy reflects the recommendations of the Council of the European Union made for the national programme of reforms of the Slovak Republic addressing areas relevant to gender equality.

The strategy is available in English on-line: http://www.gender.gov.sk/en/files/2015/06/Strategy_EN.pdf

 

[1] E.g. the EU Gender Equality Index, created by the European Institute for Gender Equality in 2013, where the SR is placed 4th from the end
[2] A comprehensive list of documents can be found on the website www.gender.gov.sk
[3]CEDAW/C/SVK/CO/4 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the forty-first session, 30. Jun – 18 July 2008