Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1997, published 86th ILC session (1998)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Slovakia (Ratification: 1993)

1. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government in its report and attached documentation including, in particular, the Employment Act (Act No. 387 of 11 December 1996), the provisions of the Labour Code, 1965, as amended, pertaining to the protection of women, and the relevant extracts of the Programme Proclamation, 1995.

2. As concerns measures to implement the national policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment, the Committee notes that, in considering the Government's report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Human Rights Committee expressed concern over substantiated reports of discrimination, particularly against women, and noted that independent complaint mechanisms for victims of all discrimination do not exist; it recommended that priority be given to addressing discrimination, in particular through training and education campaigns, and that mechanisms to monitor non-discrimination laws and to receive and investigate complaints from victims be established urgently (UN document CCPR/C/79/Add.79 of 4 August 1997). The Committee asks the Government to indicate whether consideration has been, or is being given, to the creation of such independent bodies to ensure the implementation of the national proscriptions against discrimination. In this respect, the Committee also requests the Government to indicate whether attempts have been made both to evaluate the impact of the educational programmes undertaken by the National Centre for Human Rights with a view to heightening their impact, and to increasing the resources devoted to educational campaigns designed to increase public awareness of, and appreciation for, the government policy on non-discrimination.

3. As concerns measures taken to ensure equality of opportunity and treatment for minority groups, the Committee notes that the Human Rights Committee expressed its concern that insufficient provision, in particular in relation to the allocation of resources, is made in the field of educational and cultural rights for the benefit of the Hungarian minority, who constitute some 11 per cent of the population. The Committee requests the Government to furnish detailed information on the measures being taken to ensure the application of the principle of the Convention to the Hungarian minority, as well as all other minority groups, in respect of education, training and employment. Please also clarify, as previously requested, the difference between the terms "national minorities" and "ethnic groups", for whom certain rights are provided under articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution.

4. The Committee requests the Government to provide, in future reports, information to illustrate the impact of the various constitutional, legal and administrative measures taken to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation. In this regard, the Committee hopes that the Government will provide statistical and any other relevant information -- such as might be contained in studies or surveys -- on the enjoyment, in practice, of equality of opportunity and treatment irrespective of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, with special reference to:

(a) access to vocational guidance and training;

(b) access to employment and to particular occupations; and

(c) terms and conditions of employment.

5. Please provide information on the measures taken in practice to collaborate with employers' and workers' organizations and other appropriate bodies to promote the acceptance and observance of the national policy on equality of opportunity and treatment, particularly with regard to employment in the private sector.