LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey
The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review held its thirty-fourth session from 4 to 15 November 2019. The review of Slovenia was held at the 13th meeting, on 12 November 2019. The delegation of Slovenia was headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miro Cerar. During the interactive dialogue, 81 state delegations made statements and provided 215 recommendations in total.
At its 17th meeting, held on 14 November 2019, the Working Group adopted the report on Slovenia. The report is now publicly available.
Slovenia received 9 SOGIESC based recommendations from 8 countries, which is a significant increase in comparison to the previous UPR cycle, when Slovenia received 4 SOGIESC based recommendations (from Croatia, Spain, Sweden and Uruguay).
The recommendations reflect to some extent to what was recommended in the Written Contribution on the position of LGBTI persons to the 3rd Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Republic of Slovenia, which was submitted on 27 March 2019 by ERA in close partnership with its member organisations: Legebitra, Škuc Magnus and TransAkcija.
The recommendation formulated during the interactive dialogue and listed below has been examined by Slovenia and enjoys the support of Slovenia:
121.12 Explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and promote awareness-raising campaigns to combat stereotypes and prejudices against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (Israel);
The following recommendations will be examined by Slovenia, which will provide responses in due time, but no later than the forty-third session of the Human Rights Council (to be held March 2020):
122.29 Explicitly incorporate in its legislation, policies and strategies to combat discrimination the recognition of multiple and intersectional discrimination based on sex, age, ethnic origin or sexual orientation, or due to the status of migrant, asylum seeker, refugee, person with disability or any other condition (Honduras);
122.33 Strengthen activities and laws aimed at the elimination of discrimination in society, and of other intolerance and hate speech against minorities and other groups, including based on sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics (Iceland);
122.56 Intensify efforts to combat stereotypes and prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, including by launching a nationwide awareness-raising campaign (Ireland);
122.57 Strengthen efforts to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, including awareness-raising to increase the social acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community in all spheres of professional and social life (Netherlands);
122.58 Promote the access of same-sex couples to sexual and reproductive health programmes, ensuring in particular the availability of specific health services for trans persons (Uruguay);
122.59 Enact general legislation on the recognition of both same-sex parents involved in the growth of a child, as well as extending access to adoption to same-sex couples on a par with others (Iceland);
122.60 Adopt legal provisions that will allow legal gender recognition to transgender individuals and take meaningful steps to sensitize authorities and the public to their human rights (Malta);
122.61 Work towards ending protocols that aim to “normalize” intersex bodies through harmful and medical practices including non-consensual surgery (Malta);
There are additional recommendations that indirectly affect LGBTI persons, and these are mostly related to adoption of a comprehensive anti-discrimination strategy, continuous efforts in combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes, as well as quality access to sexual and reproductive healthcare (also to be examined by Slovenia, which will provide responses in due time, but no later than the forty-third session of the Human Rights Council (to be held March 2020)), including:
122.22 Strengthen, through a comprehensive strategy, the fight against discrimination in all its forms, including on the grounds of the status of migrant, refugee, asylum seeker, and of disability, or any other condition; and strengthen its policies to combat racism and hate speech (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela);
122.26 Adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination strategy in consultation with representatives of civil society (Luxembourg);
122.27 Continue strengthening the institutional and normative framework for protection against discrimination (Montenegro);
122.44 Continue efforts to combat hate speech, and strengthen the capacity of the criminal justice system to response to cases of hate crimes (Indonesia);
122.47 Sustain efforts in combating hate speech and other hate crimes (Nigeria);
122.48 Take measures to more effectively prevent and combat hate speech and incitement to violence against minorities, both online and offline (Republic of Korea);
122.52 Strengthen the response of its criminal justice system in cases of hate speech and hate-motivated violence by ensuring effective investigation and appropriate prosecution and punishment of perpetrators (Israel);
122.53 Strengthen the response of its criminal justice system in cases of hate speech and related violence by ensuring effective investigation and appropriate prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators (Pakistan);
122.108 Strengthen quality accessible sexual and reproductive health public services to women belonging to vulnerable groups (Peru);
We hope Slovenia will support all of these recommendations and ensure their full implementation.