Slovakia

The following Justice Initiative projects are underway in, or relevant to, Slovakia:

Equality and Citizenship

Slovakia: Consolidating the Rule of Law
Justice Initiatives talks about the rule of law with Barbora Bukovská, director of the human rights group Poradna, whose report Body and Soul: Forced Sterilization and Other Assaults on Roma Reproductive Freedom turned a spotlight on the failures of the rule of law in Slovakia, triggering denial and resistance in the Slovak authorities

Freedom of Information and Expression

Regional: Freedom of Information Adoption Strategy session
On 10 November 2002, a one-day meeting of FOI groups was organized by the Open Society Justice Initiative and Article 19 in Skopje, Macedonia, in order to develop strategies for furthering freedom of information goals in the southeast European region. Participants presented the current situation regarding the adoption of freedom of information laws in each country/territory. It was noted that although many countries have constitutional provisions on the right to information (Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia), governments give a low priority to adopting the legislation needed to make the provision operational. Furthermore, there tends to be widespread confusion between “Public Information” (mass media) laws and access to information (FOI) laws. NGO representatives from countries with FOI laws (Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia) were invited to (and attended) a regional meeting in Zagreb in March 2003, to share their experiences of campaigning for the adoption of these laws.

Slovakia: Public Health project
Partner institution: OSI Public Health Program (Moldova and Slovakia).