856th Meeting, 35th Session, Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Good afternoon, distinguished member of the delegation of Slovakia.
Good afternoon, colleagues.
I I call to order the 856 meeting of the Committee of Right of Person with disabilities.
The committee will continue its consideration of the Combined Period report of Slovakia under the agenda item five.
Consideration of reports submitted by state party under Article 35 of the Convention.
This afternoon, we'll continue with cluster two, follow up by the follow up round.
After the break, we will proceed to cluster three, followed by further follow up questions.
I kindly ask all speakers to be concise so that we can make the best use possible of the time.
I will give now the floor to misses Rosemary Casey, member of the task force for the continuous dialogue of the second cluster.
Miss Mary.
Thank you, Chair.
I've just got a couple of questions that I'll go through now and then hand over to the delegation and other members of the committee for their follow up questions.
I The 2016 committee recommendations, the inclusion of people with disability in all migration processes.
Can you elaborate on whether this has been achieved? In particular, how are persons with disabilities seeking protection or asylum identified in their needs assessed? Are reception facilities accessible and is migration information available in alternative formats? How do persons with disabilities temporary protection, access support services and social protection, and disability specific supports on an equal basis with those who have temporary or permanent residency? In particular, do persons with disabilities under temporary protection status who have been employed and paid social insurance contributions have access to unemployment benefits.
I also want to ask if the concerns raised by the Human Rights Committee during its review of Slovakia about the use of immigration detention for immigration procedures, including in cases involving children and unaccompanied minors, can the state party clarify whether persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, and unaccopanied minors with disabilities are in immigration detention? Are there any alternatives to detention? How do you ensure that persons with disabilities receive disability specific support, assistance, and assistance in detention? But also, just to wrap up my questions, are organizations of people with disability engaged in planning? And protection mechanisms, re emergency preparedness and civil protection.
How does the state ensure that all aids, adoptions and assistive devices are available, affordable, and of good quality for all persons with disabilities based on individualized needs, including for people with higher support needs.
So thank you for our time together and I look forward to your advice.
Thank you very much for the questions.
I would like to ask Ministry of Interior to answer these questions.
Madam Flo is yours.
Tobrin Shaking.
Good afternoon.
Thank you for the questions.
My name is Ivan Ndiva.
I'm here on behalf of the Ministry of Interior.
When it comes to the migration policy, In Slovakia and what are the up to date measures taken in the asylum system and temporary protection, et cetera When it comes to asylum and international protection, Slovakia provides individualized approach to persons with disabilities thanks to a recent law.
It's the Act number 69 on international Protection.
In terms of this law, When placing the asylum applicants and seekers, we regard the age of the person and other aspects before placing them.
We also adopted a national strategy of asylum and migration management.
This strategy was adopted in 2025.
And the aspect of disability is being seen as an um as a vulnerability aspect.
We regard the needs of the applicant and try to ensure the necessary support throughout the proceedings about the international protection of the person.
Concerning concrete measures.
The health condition of every applicant is assessed and monitored regularly throughout the proceedings by expert personnel when creating appropriate conditions for the stay and for the care of the applicants, we bear in mind the fact that these are people with specific needs based on their individual assessment of their health condition.
The applicants go through a medical checkup.
This is a detention center in H, which is charged with this.
Then we also assess the criteria of vulnerability, specifically for the individual person.
Based on the medical assessment and on the assessment of specific needs, we take adequate measures, for example, in terms of housing, or providing food, providing concrete information or other needs within the detention center, dietary needs, psychological support, et cetera The detention center in Human has a barrier free access and entrance.
The barrier free access is also secured in both buildings of the center.
There are barrier free access rooms and a Hygiene facilities, people with special needs are placed in Oatosaova V Detention Center, which is specifically designed for vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities who need barrier free access to housing.
The detention center has barrier free housing that is placed on the floor level and it is designed for persons with disabilities and for vulnerable persons.
When it comes to the respect and protection of rights of people with disabilities, applicants are informed about their rights and obligations and about the internal rules.
All applicants are entitled to receive their representatives, their family members, the representatives for refugees, and During the proceedings, they also have access to free legal advice that is realized in their mother tongue and also through communication means adapted to their needs.
If they think that their rights have been violated, they have the right claim through a system that has been designed to that purpose.
And that is dealt with with dedicated personnel of the Ministry of Interior.
Concerning the staff in these detention centers, the staff are trained regularly.
And the emphasis is placed on handling of people with disabilities.
Training of assessment of vulnerability is realized in cooperation with an international organization under IOM.
Concerning the temporary protection and the support and help The procedure is very similar as I have just said that once they are given housing, they are presented other ways of support, for example, allocations or allowance for housing, for social services, et cetera.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Rosemary, can you reflect? Delegation is still answering the questions.
Okay.
The speaker is not using the microphone responses.
Ja when it comes to social services, these are provided to persons who are not Slovak Republic citizens.
But with a residence that has been approved in Slovakia, they have allowance for compensation of social services.
They are provided to third country nationals.
Slovakia is bound by international treaty.
We also provide these to family members of third country nationals.
Just During an emergency situation caused by the war in Ukraine, we also allow people from Ukraine, the displaced persons.
In the view of maintaining families together, we provide the possibility to receive housing for the whole families.
I They also receive allowance and the subsidies of the Ministry of Labor for humanitarian aid and it is aimed at the carers of persons with disabilities and it's 40-59%, which is 800 euro per month if the disability is more than 60%.
Also, if a third country national is in material need, whatever the status of stay is, whether it is permanent or tolerated, they are entitled to such aid also.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Ministry of Labor, hello.
Good afternoon.
I would like to add that we have an equal status in legal relations.
For example, if the third country nationals have equal status as the Slovak nationals who Have who have the supplementary status and the stay in the European Union.
Thank you.
If you want to get back to us in writing regarding the questions about emergency services and civil protection and the engagement of organizations of people with disability and the last one around assistive devices.
We're happy to receive those in writing.
I'd now like to hand back to the chair so we can open it up to other members of the committee.
Thank you.
Well noted.
Thank you.
I think that we have finished now the second cluster.
We can move to the third cluster, Rosemary whose it's you or The scenario is for it to be opened up to any follow up questions from other members of the committee, and then we will move to Natalie Galia to start cluster three.
Thank you.
That's okay.
We now open the floor to the other members of the committee and the other members of the task force for following questions.
Mr.
Lorenzo.
Thank you, Chair.
I'd like to extend my warm greetings to the distinguished delegation here with us today.
The Convention is a combination of human rights and development.
My question underscores the development aspect.
You're coming from a country that exports vehicles.
I'd like to know if you can share information with us or any indicators on the number of people with disabilities That have adapted vehicle or a vehicle with accommodations.
How do people with disabilities have access to vehicles? Does the state provide any subsidy so that they can acquire an appropriate vehicle? Are these exported? Is this on offer? For example, vehicles that are appropriately equipped for people with disabilities? Look at the idea of public services, what about trains and buses? What amount of accommodation is and what's the private sector participation in this market of vehicles with accommodations? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Lorenzo, for this interesting remarks about the production of vehicles in Slovakia.
Just for your knowledge, Slovakia is really per capita, the number one producer of personal vehicles in the world, over 1 million.
But I'm not sure if somebody has a statistics.
Ministry of Labor.
Madam you have the floor.
Oh, sorry.
The interpreters don't hear, please.
The interpreters don't hear.
It's okay.
It's okay now.
In the compensation of persons, thank you very much for the question.
Slovakia under the compensation for persons with severe disability provides also allowance for with the hand speed gear, 13,000 and with the manual as well also allows allowance for further accommodation of the vehicle and for the transport itself and my colleague will add further information.
Thank you.
Only to support the development of social services, Ministry of Labor Social Affairs and family provides allowances to support these services where we can provide allowance also to purchase the personal vehicle to provide different type of cares.
Or to bring up and take care of children and families, or simply to purchase the vehicle with the system which allows to raise the wheelchair or the allowance for the transport, which is considered as a field social service as well.
Thank you.
To the second part of the question, my response, Ministry of Transport, what refers to public transport? In the legislation, there are stipulations.
What things should be a should be done in respect to municipal transport vehicles.
50% of all have to have a type of low rise to the vehicle.
As for the national transport, it's 30%.
So we are we have certain figure, but in respect to regional transport, the change is even for better situation, there will have to be 100% of transport vehicles with low rise.
And as for train transport, each train has to be accessible for people with disabilities and a I case it is still not done, at least one carriage has to be accessible.
As for the vessel transport, there is an obligation to have a kind of a incoming ramp, which allows the access for disabled passengers.
But in Slovakia, we don't have such an idiot.
If you'll allow me, I'd like to use my position and ask a similar question along similar lines.
I would like to know if deaf persons can take their driving license.
Amalia, please, can you.
Thank you, Chair.
I have two questions, one on Article 14 and one on 15 and 16.
The Active detention allows for the deprivation of liberty of a person with psychopic problems in an institution if they represent a real risk or danger for themselves or for others.
What this clearly undermines Article 14 and its guidelines.
My question is what measures that can the government adopt and in what time frame to ensure that any kind of deprivation of liberty on the grounds of perceived or real disability cannot occur.
I am also asking Actually, I might like to make a comment because the distinguished head of delegation spoke in his opening remarks on EU funding.
What's wrong? Shall I repeat the questions? Shall I repeat the questions? I'll repeat the questions and if the interpreters could kindly follow.
I'm talking about Article 14.
What's wrong with the interpretation? Can you hear me now? Can you hear the interpreter? See? Yeah.
Yes.
Please help us interpreters.
The interpreters are right here.
The law on attention provides the opportunity to deprive persons with intellectual disabilities from their liberty if they represent a real or perceived risk to themselves or for others.
This clearly undermines Article 14 and its guidelines.
The question is what measures will the government adopt and in what time frame to abolish any form of deprivation of liberty based on real or perceived disability.
I would also like to ask about the comment made by the head of delegation during his opening remarks on EU funding.
Are these funds being used to build new psychiatric hospitals? That would undermine the convention.
Then finally, on Articles 15 and 16, The state party does still not have in its criminal legislation, adequate provisions that define as a crime an ill or degrading human treatment.
The question I have is what measures will the state take to prohibit torture in law and define as a crime any acts of torture.
Thank you.
Let's take another question from Madame Borsley then we can have response from.
Rehab.
Sun Thank you, Chair.
I've got a question on articles 12 and 17.
My question refers to security of the person.
45-50% of people in health establishments, specialized health establishment have had their legal capacity partially or wholly removed.
These are measures which are taken by Slovakia which means that these persons cannot take decisions independently about their personal integrity and their health without guardians.
Thank you.
Thank you for the questions.
Is Ministry of Interior ready to answer? Thank you, sir.
You have the floor.
Thank you for the question.
I will probably touch the guardianship directly.
Maybe in respect to deprivation of the legal capacity.
The amendment of civil dispute legislation, legal deprivation has become obsolete The proposed new civil code, which is in legislative process at the moment, this legal incapacity does not include that is related to establishing of the guardian.
If the court decides on establishing a guardian, then the court specify to which level the legal capacity of the person is restrained.
Guardian in this new legislation is understood as a person that is set by the court and as the next entity, this person may be the one set by the court, another one may be a close member of the family or family member or another entity could be the municipality.
The court will be obliged to check with the person for whom the guardian should be appointed If the opinion of that person will not be known to the court and will not be able the court will not be able to learn about its opinion, the court will have to see the person that should get the guardian.
Also, the responsibilities of the guardian are to be amended his or her activity will be checked, controlled, monitored.
There will be a system of notification about the work of the guardian and also there will be submitted possible proposals to remove the guardian.
This is what relates to the legislation and um The process during this period until legislation is in effect as the amendment is at the moment in the Parliament.
So in this transitional period, we expect the first July 2027 when the new amendment will come into effect.
Thank you.
Another colleague to additional clarifications.
Thank you.
I would like to address the concerns raised regarding the definition of torture and ill treatment in Slovak domestic law.
First, I would like to emphasize that the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is firmly established in the Slovak legal Order.
At the constitutional level, Article 16 provides that no one may be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or pundiishment.
This prohibition is absolute.
The level of criminal law, Section 420 of the Criminal Code establishes a specific criminal offense of torture and other inhuman or cruel treatment.
It criminalizes the infliction of physical or mental suffering through torture, ill treatment, or other inhuman or cruel treatment where the conduct is connected with the exercise of public authority carried out at its instigation or with its expressed or tactic consent.
We acknowledge that the wording of Section 420 does not reproduce verbatim the definition contained in Article 1 of the Convention Against Torture, including the enumeration of the specific purposes contained in that provision.
However, this does not mean that conduct motivated by discrimination or aimed at interfering with the fundamental rights of an individual falls outside the scope of criminal law protection.
Section four oh, sorry.
Section 420 provides for aggravated criminal liability in a number of circumstances, including where the offense is committed for a specific motive against a protected person, against a person whose personal liberty has been lawfully restricted, or with the purpose of preventing or obstructing the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms.
Allegations of torture or other forms of ill treatment are subject to investigation under the Code of Criminal Procedure and to prosecutorial supervision.
Finally, these constitutional and criminal law safeguards apply equally to persons with disabilities, including persons receiving institutional care or whose personal liberty has been restricted.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now, I would like to give the floor to my colleague to present additional clarifications.
Thank you very much for giving me the floor.
To the question directed to the EU funding that was mentioned in the opening remarks, I will provide a certain clarification to this reference.
The activities that are funded through the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the European Union Cohesion funding, are based or targeted to community based social services, strengthening integrated health and social care support, and also directed to the provision of services that enable persons with disabilities to remain active members of the society and their communities.
The measures can take form of funding directed to accessibility, to employment, strengthening employment opportunities, and independent living.
In concrete terms, we talk about workplace adaptations, housing adaptations, provision of inclusive education and strengthening of these provisions or assistive technology.
They are not earmarked to be used to build psychological hospitals in this regard.
Thank you.
I thank you for this additional clarifications.
Thank you for your clarification.
I give now the floor to Mr.
Morris.
I thought that your flag was on.
Mr.
Schiffer, please.
Thank you, Chair.
I would like to make a comment and ask a question.
First, the comment on torture.
The committee is well aware that Slovakia is as a member of the Council of Europe is bound by Article 3 of the European Convention and the respective definition of torture.
I would just like to comment that the definition of torture is not usually the problem.
When it comes to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The problem is on a secondary level, meaning the recognition that coercive measures, for example, in psychiatry, like forced medication and physical and pharmacological restraints, would taken just at the wording of the case law of the court under Article 3 constitute torture, were it not for the fact that a seemingly benevolent idea seems to be behind it and that they are applied to persons with disabilities.
This is one of the main issues that we are facing here in countries that are absolutely certain that they do not torture and yet we do not recognize the treatment that many persons with disabilities are subjected to as torture.
This is the comment.
And now the question, we have hardly any information on liberty of movement and nationality under Article 18.
Now, Slovakia also has a sizable refugee population of about 140,000 people, many people from Ukraine.
My question is on the procedure to ensure that refugees or asylum applicants are assessed on their impairment and disability.
Because such an assessment is crucial for how the further process is designed.
You need to have an assessment in order to determine what procedural accommodations you have in the ensuing asylum proceedings.
What measures you need to take to ensure accessibility of housing during the asylum proceedings, and information you need to ensure that you know what services you need to provide to refugee asylum seekers with disabilities during the asylum proceedings.
So the question is first, please delineate how you ensure that the proper assessment right at the beginning of an asylum proceeding takes place, and then how procedural accommodations are guaranteed, how accessibility of housing is ensured, and the provision of services.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Scheffer, especially for this clarifications about torture to better understand what is exact meaning.
I would like to ask Ministry of Interior to inform us about the process which is done with regard to asylum seekers with disabilities, accessibility of was already mentioned, but please do provide us with additional information.
Thank you.
Thank you for the floor and for the question.
As I have already mentioned today in Slovakia, we have a new recent legislation concerning asylum proceedings, which is the La 69 2026 on international protection, which stipulates and anchors all these procedures concerning asylum seekers and refugees.
In relation to public bodies, we have also a by law from 2025.
These two, two pieces of legislation are the baseline for the proceedings and handling of asylum seekers.
I have already mentioned that at the very beginning when receiving an asylum seeker, a They go through a medical checkup and an assessment of their individual needs.
This is assured for all the asylum seekers, including people with disabilities.
We also take care of the fact that persons with disabilities are identified as early as possible so they can receive the necessary services and care.
We have measures concerning social support, interpreting services, and procedural guarantees.
The identification and assessment of these specific needs is being done throughout the proceedings.
So that they can be adapted to that concrete person and the situation of the person in question.
This is all to wrap it up in general.
Thank you very much for the floor.
I would like to compliment some information.
Displaced persons from Ukraine are entitled to apply for humanitarian aid for persons with disabilities.
This subsidy application can be filled with a member of our staff.
During this application, the health condition is assessed and then it is decided whether the allowance of 300 or 508 euro will be allocated.
I would also like to add that asylum seekers have access to social services.
One more thing, excuse me.
Those persons can apply at a labor office.
They can apply for devices.
That will help them some assisted aids, et cetera, that can help them have a normal life in Slovakia.
Thank you very much.
I would like to ask Ministry of Interior about a question raised by Mr.
Shaffer about housing for migrants or accessibility of housing.
In housing.
During the first interview, we propose housing in a detention center in Gapchkovo where barrier free access is granted for immobile persons.
So we can respond to specific needs.
This is the first help that we can provide.
When the asylum seeker decides to become independent, we provide an allowance for independent housing.
That's my response.
Thank you very much for this clarification.
Thank you for all these responses.
We come now to the end of this session.
Let's have a break for 15 minutes.
We campaign here at 4:15.
Excuse me, 15 minutes will take up to 454 1545.
Yeah.
15 minutes would be 4:05.
Okay.
Well, it's correct.
It's four.
It's 4:05.
We came back.
Thank you.
I I I Before starting the third cluster, I have a request from Amalia follow up question on the second class.
Thank you, chair.
Just briefly.
This morning you were saying that you're updating plans for deinstitutionalization.
Is the interpretation okay? But you also said that you'll continue to have some small institutions of 12 people or so.
My question is, do you know that that undermines the guidelines on deinstitutionalization, including emergency situations since 2022.
What would the mechanism be to ensure that there are no violations of the rights of persons with disabilities in institutions? Do you know that Organizations of persons with disabilities should also support this monitoring effort as detailed in the convention.
Thank you.
Merci Amalia.
Thank you, Amalia.
Do you have a response Thank you, Chair.
Before I give the floor to my delegation, I would like to answer your question with regard to driver license and people.
Yes, in Slovakia, they can get a driver's license.
My question was about deaf people, do they have access to driving license? Anyway, it's good to know that all these people have access to the Let's go now to the cluster.
Also the deaf people from Article 21.
Yes.
Yes.
Also deaf people can have the driving license.
There are some specific measures that can be set up, but they can have.
Thank you.
Can we have a response for Amalia's question? Thank you.
Who is ready to answer? Ministry of Labor, you have the floor.
Thank you for the question and floor.
Yes, the information was correct.
We are updating the strategy of the institutionalization and its midterm aims.
Also, a new action plan for the year The lady apologizes.
Well, the action plan of the institutionalization, I think very probably till 2030 is being updated.
As for the accommodation at the community level, yes, low capacity facilities are being opened which have the character of community living the maximum capacity is 12, but But these 12 people will be either two housing units or more.
This housing will have a character of a normal non living as the people would have in communities.
No, we are not trying to create facilities which would have character of the institution, rather by this low number of housing units, we try to make these housing the closest to community life as possible.
Thank you for this clarification.
Thank you for your response.
We have 60 minutes for the back to back question and answer for the third cluster.
I now give the floor to miss Natalia Gua, member of the task force responsible for the third class.
Thank you very much Chair.
Once again, we extend a warm welcome to the delegation of Slovakia.
We're very grateful for your participation in this constructive dialogue.
As the chair said, I'm going to address articles 21-30.
In the interests of time, I would also reiterate the appeal to provide specific concrete answers to the points that we will cover over these articles.
I'll begin with Article 21 on freedom of expression and access to information.
First, I'd like to focus on aspects connected to legislation in force in Slovakia.
On the one hand, the Directive for Audio Visual Communications and Services, we'd like to hear what measures you've adopted to ensure that all public information for general interest, televised debates or even emergency situations are communicated in an accessible way.
Is accessibility guaranteed, including augmentative or alternative forms of communication.
Can you please describe what measures you have taken here? Continuing with legislation now looking at European level, have you transposed the European web accessibility provisions or on the European Act on Artificial Intelligence? We would very much like if you could describe what oversight mechanisms are available to ensure that this European legislation is operating appropriately and that the portals for public administration are accessible for people with disabilities.
I'd also like to know what measures have been adopted to avoid any risk of algorithmic discrimination being faced by people with disabilities because of AI.
I'll then turn to my colleague who will ask a question on Article 21, and then I will ask the delegation to answer the whole cluster of questions.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for the questions I would like to ask now Ministry of Culture to provide us with relevant information.
Madam, you have the floor.
Good afternoon, Ina Igarasv, Ministry of Information and Development.
On behalf of our sector, I'd like to say a few items of information.
I don't know whether we speak about the right directive, but if it is the directive on the accessibility of mobile seats and website.
Well, that one has been fully implemented by Slovakia since first January 2020 and Slovakia does each year monitoring in and in three year cycles submits the results of monitoring to the European Commission.
The first monitoring was submitted in 2021, the third one in 2024.
The next monitoring will be submitted in 2027.
Providing you have additional questions asking possibly about how monitoring is taking place, I can respond.
Thank you.
Are you ready to answer the questions concerning the EU legislation, how EU legislation is operating and algorithm of discrimination, et cetera, et cetera Thank you.
Mac.
Thank you very much.
We take note of the information shared and we look forward to receiving the results of the monitoring.
I'll now give the floor to my colleague Hiroshi Tormon to ask an additional question under Article 21.
Thank you very much.
I would like to give a warm welcome to the representatives from Slovakia.
We note the committee's previous recommendations and recent legislative developments.
However, there remains a severe shortage of professional Slovakian sign language and Roma sign language interpreters in the state party, as well as an alarming lack of accredited training programs.
Furthermore, real time speech to text transcription and also online interpreting services remain either unavailable or inaccessible and health care settings.
I have two questions.
Question number one, please provide information on the concrete measures taken and the specific budget allocated by the state party to regulate and ensure the sustainable provision of these communication support services.
My next question request rather, please provide desegregated data on the current number of qualified sign language interpreters in the state party.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I see the Ministry of Labor is ready to at least partially answer the question or you have the floor, Madam.
Thank you.
I may respond to the question in respect to interpretation service.
We have it in social services as one of those social services.
In 2020, this amendment of the social services came into in effect in particularly in the area of qualification.
Skills in respect to sign language, tactile interpretation, that we develop these kind of skills and services, we are allowed to to persons which reach certain level of education and a course of this particular interpretation to be able to provide this special service.
And that is checked by accreditation committee.
The ministry has drafted the contents of that course, including both signed language and Tactile language.
The course is of 350 hours, and we have prepared the course to get them with the Ministry of philosophy and the University of Special pedagogy.
As for the ctile, interpreting that could be provided this interpretation can be done online and in other means as well.
Civil Service Center of Barrier Free Communication.
And also other type of services are provided barrier free services different client centers and authorities are being more accessible for them, also for persons with hearing disabilities.
The next instrument which adds to the services of professional interpreters is that the person with a disability may be accompanied by a special assistant and who can help the person in their everyday life.
As for the number of interpreters.
As for today, we have 23 interpreters.
As for the interpretation services, or rather the number of hours of this kind of interpretation in 2025 was the number was 34,545 hours.
Thank you.
I thank you very much for your answer and clarifications.
Thank you.
We'd like to ask if you could send the quantitative information in writing to the committee.
And also, in terms of volume, perhaps you could indicate the percentage, not just the number of hours, but the percentage.
A provision for the needs of the deaf community.
I'd also like to know if the deaf community is participating in shaping and designing the training in sign language interpretation in the country.
Now, if you can send those answers in writing or when you take the floor again, that would be great.
I'm going to now look at Article 22 and 23.
Look at Article 22 first, respect for privacy.
We heard and we listened very carefully to the questions and the answers given on the situation of people with disabilities living in institutions in Slovakia.
The commissioner for persons with disabilities reported the fact that in these institutions, in these residences where people with disabilities are living, report there have been reports of arbitrary situations of privacy when it comes to visits or communication that people living there can have with their loved ones.
I'd like to know specifically what measures have been established by the state to guarantee privacy for people with disabilities living in institutions.
Both to preserve the privacy and also to be able to lodge a complaint and to gain access to remedy.
I also wonder about independent oversight to try to monitor the situation of people living in institutions.
Is there any provision for people with disabilities to participate in such an oversight mechanism? Before you answer, I'll give the floor to my colleague, Gul Don, who's going to look at Article 23.
Should I ask? Thank you, Chair, and I over my question under Article 23.
I'll start my question by referring some premises from Section 12, Act number 36 slash 500.
Just a moment.
Section 12 of Act number 36 slash 2005 on the family.
Section 12 reads as follows.
One, person who has been deprived of legal capacity may not enter into marriage.
Two, person whose legal capacity has been restricted may enter into marriage with only the permission of the court.
Three, person who effected by a mental disorder, which in the restriction of the legal capacity may not enter into the marriage.
Further it continues that the marriages entered in the violation of above mentioned provision may be declared by the court as invalid.
So regarding this, my first question, how does the state party reconcile Section 12 of this Family Act that restricts or prevent persons with disabilities from exercising the right to marry on the basis of legal capacity or the mental disorder with Article 23 of the CRPD that guarantees the right of persons with disabilities to marry and found a family B it on the free and consent.
Just a moment.
Intending spouses and on an equal basis with others.
Second question is, if you have any plan to make a review to this act and make them fully compliant with the Article 23 of the Convention.
If so, please let us know clear timetable to do that.
The third question is, Could you the state party provide some data on number of marriages that declared by the court invalid, disaggregated by the ground of invalidity, including cases of involved persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.
My next question is related to the sum statement included in your state party report.
In the paragraph 113 of your report, you mentioned that parents who do not have legal capacity do not have any parent rights or obligations under the Family Act.
Further, you mentioned that this should be eliminated with the guardianship reform.
From this, I understood that you already acknowledged that removing parent rights from a person based on the legal capacity or mental disorder is very contradictory to the CRPD provision.
You already admitted and you mentioned that this should be reformed in the guardianship reform.
Regarding this, my question is, How about the C for? Is it still taking place in the battle state result? How this form is addressing this issue? The removing parent threats rights from a person based on the legal capacity or the mental disorder? The last question is, please indicate the measures taken by the state party to ensure that parents with disability and families with disabled members is being provided adequate support and other supports to ensure that they fulfill their parental rights on an equal basis with others.
Thank you.
Thank you for the set of questions.
I see representatives of Ministry of Justice are ready to answer your questions.
Madam, you have the floor.
Hello.
Good afternoon.
Thank you very much for the question.
Slovakia has taken the first steps in these matters.
Civil procedures from the first July 2016 embolish the possibility of the court to decide on the legal incapacity.
They only can decide on restriction of legal capacity.
There are more provisions in the Act on Family, which deal with legal incapacity decisions have been annulled.
The new proposal or amendment of the Act does not include those texts, and it has been approved by the government and actually it is in the legislation process in the Parliament.
The Ministry of Justice also prepares an implementation A.
That will act on family as well and we plan to eliminate the the provisions concerning the legal incapacity decisions and all the relevant legislation will have to follow.
The legislation process has not come to the end, but the aim is to harmonize all the pieces of legislation and will not provide the possibility to decide on legal incapacity just based on disability.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Social Affairs.
Social Affairs.
I see Ministry of Labor is ready to answer additional part of the question.
Thank you.
When it comes to the respect of the right to privacy, we have some standards of social services where the criterion is to freely communicate and the right to private space.
The recipients of social services can freely use available communication means at the providers.
The provider has also guaranteed the right for private communication and the recipients of social services can communicate in the language of their choice and they can be provided the possibility to express their needs.
In part three, aimed at operating conditions.
There are conditions stipulating the requirements for operation conditions such as the premises, material, equipment, heating, lightning, then spaces for housing should meet the requirements in terms of area and in terms of privacy as well.
This also includes the guarantee of water quality, drinking water.
The social service provider also is required to have devices for activation of the recipients.
Apologies for interrupting you.
As we were saying before, as we haven't got a huge amount of time, could we ask you for a specific answer on the requirements for guaranteeing privacy and the mechanisms for ensuring that these requirements are met? We have heard about this from a different source and we would like to know if there is a mechanism which is responsible for ensuring that these requirements are met and if persons with disabilities participate in it.
Thank you.
Yes.
This set of criteria and standards in provision of social services provides a mechanism of control, and it is controlled and checked by inspectors in social affairs.
Let me complement some information concerning persons with some experience.
We have a national pilot project with providing social services that involves the inclusion of an experienced person in a team that will do those checks and inspections and those experienced persons are those who have some kind of disability and these persons with their personal experience will give their point of view as regards to provision of social services and possible barriers to the or the enjoyment of the rights and services by people with disabilities.
We expect 20 experts with experience in the project and the inspections or inspectors who will do the checks will invite one of those persons to join.
We have already had some meetings of inspectors with experienced persons.
They have gone through some projects and they have already realized one of those types of inspections.
There is a cooperation between inspectors and the experienced persons with disabilities.
Thank you very much.
I'd like to follow on from my colleague's question concerning the situation of the family, Article 23.
We'd just like to ask the delegation to provide us with a copy of that project.
We would like to recommend that Organizations of persons with disabilities be involved in this.
I'd now like to move on to Article 24, which concerns education for persons with disabilities, despite the fact that the conventions, Article 24 is very clear concerning inclusive education, and in 2016, the State Party received our recommendations on this subject.
There is harmonization of your laws with the convention.
Nevertheless, we've seen the number of special or segregated schools increase instead of being converted into centers for supported education.
For example, I'd like to know if the state party has a roadmap for transition to inclusive education for children with disabilities.
I'd like to know what are the reasons why You continue to invest in building segregated or special schools in your country.
Also on the area of education, I've got a very specific question for you.
I'd like to know if mainstream schools can deny the admission of a student with disability.
Do they have that prerogative? Do they have this discretionary power in Slovakia? Can schools deny acceptance of a student with disability? If that is the case, what measures do you plan to take in order to change that situation in order to ensure that all students with disabilities have access to the school of their choice? If there is no discretionary power, then I'd like to know what supervisory measures are in place in order to ensure that no school will deny access to a student with disability on the grounds of disability or on the grounds of accessibility.
Thank you very much.
Good afternoon.
I'm going to speak in English.
Mr.
Chairperson, Madam Chair of the task force, since I'm taking the floor for the first time at this meeting, so I would like to express my appreciation to having the opportunity to be engaged in dialogue with this distinguished committee.
We are referring back to your recommendations in 2016.
Slovakia has since 2020, introducing implementing its overall complex strategy on inclusive education until 2030, which is phased into three phases 33 years longer.
Action plans.
We are now in the phase of the second action plan.
Coming back directly to your questions.
No, Slovak is not building additional special schools.
The number of children or pupils who are involved in inclusive, meaning mainstream education is rising constantly, and the number of pupils in the schools which you labeled special schools.
Now we call them schools for children or pupils with health impairments is constantly going down and the parent, according to the Slovak law, has the prerogative, has the right to choose between three pathways, whether he would like to have his child entered in a school for children, for kids with health impairments, or he could really insist on having it in mainstream education.
In this case, the school or the school administration cannot deny the will of the a parent.
Of course, since you have these three options, all actors who are involved in this process have to seek the best interests of the child, meaning the parent, the legal guardian, the counseling service is providing recommendations and assessment and diagnostics for the child, the social services and the regional Administrative Office of the Educational Ministry should commonly find the best interests of the child.
Uh, which means that if that concrete school facility is not simply designed to because of objective reasons this child, so they should commonly find a facility where the child could be placed.
Uh As far as the implicit content of one of your questions, Slovakia what Slovakia dealing with the problem of overrepresentation of special type of special group of children in schools for children with mental disabilities.
So we are we have done a lot of we have done a big progress in this effect.
In 20 since 2023, Slovakia has adopted new professional standards for for for counseling services who are making assessment and diagnostics of children and simply, this is not possible now to directly send the school to a child into school for for kids with mental disabilities.
Now we are, um Now we are realizing a special project and we are testing.
We have already tested this year 2,500 kids in special schools with mental disabilities six to 10-years-old with the aim to select those children who replaced them not correctly.
We are now organizing a special program of the transition and adaptation into mainstream education.
I This is just a call of my answer.
If my colleagues would like to complete, maybe it's something or you have additional questions, we are ready to answer it.
Thank you for the answers and clarifications.
Is somebody from our delegation ready to provide us with additional information? Miss Gua, is it sufficient answer to your questions or you still need some additional clarifications? Natalia.
Thank you very much for your answers.
Yes, we would like to ask you to provide us with written information about school enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.
I'd also like to draw your attention to the fact that Schools for children with health impairments is something which violates Article 24 of the Convention.
Could you please complete the process of the transition of all children with disabilities or health impairments into mainstream schools? I I'd like to ask you a further two questions about Article 24 and also move on to Article 25 at the same time because of the time constraint.
Now, with regard to Article 24, I'd like to know if the Ministry of Education has desegregated data on children with disabilities at the different levels of education in all types of schools.
We'd like to know what are their school achievements and measures you taken to ensure that there are appropriate assistive devices and reasonable accommodation for children who wish to be educated in mainstream schools on an equal footing with non disabled children.
That's on Article 24.
I'd also like to know what support is provided to higher education students with disabilities.
For example, when they take part in the European Union's Erasmus plus program.
When students with disabilities take part in the program, are they provided with reasonable accommodation on the grounds of their disability? I'll move on to Article 25 now.
So that you can answer all the questions at the same time, but it's actually going to be Amalia Gamo who's going to ask this question.
Amalia Gao, thank you, Natalia.
I'd like to ask you about sexual and reproductive and menstrual health rights of women and girls with disabilities because this is not one of the priorities of the Ministry of Health strategies and none of the three medical insurance companies have guidelines or incentives for providing adapted gynecology, furthermore, Medically indicated contraceptives are not covered by public health insurance.
I wonder when you're going to equip preventive centers with accessible stretches and equipment such as mastografs and why do you not include the medically indicated contraceptive methods in the public health insurance.
I'd also like to follow up on the questions about Article 24 because my colleague has mentioned that the schools for children with health impairments run counter to the convention, but I'd also like to draw your attention to the fact that children with disabilities or health impairments is terminology which fits in with the medical approach to disability, which is not the one which is enshrined in the convention.
Thank you.
I think you, is the Ministry of Education ready to provide us with additional clarifications.
Sir, you have the floor.
I chose a short answer just because of time constrained, but time going and more extensive answer.
We are realizing now three reforms of the education in advance, which is very important and which is the answer to your question.
We are realizing a curricular reform because of course, if you would like to involve or include all children or kids with disabilities or health impairment, you have to adjust the curricular system to unify the curricular system that's we are going to do now.
Second is the inclusive reform, which is embedded in a massive system of supporting measures.
We call it supporting measures, but in terminology of the convention, it's rather a combination of support measures and the reasonable accommodation measures which are stratified in the three levels, the general level, focused measure and specialized level, the second versary support measures and the third level is the reasonable accommodation measures.
The third one, which is very important and some neglected, so that you can do this.
Of course, you need money, and you can personal experts.
We have to mainstream.
We have to optimalize and rationalize the whole system of network.
We have too many schools, too many schools, very fragmented school system, first we have to effectively use the funds that we have at disposal and of course, in line with that we have to raise the money and there is a human resources invested in the whole system education, including Those funds and those personalities will help to fully include all kids in the mainstream of education.
This is what are we doing now.
But if you expect us that we can do it just overnight, so it's not possible, no European country can do that, even Switzerland cannot do that.
We are making our best efforts to do these three references in such a synergy that the final outcome would be that you are expecting.
Your second question was oriented on Aster Weldon on higher education or Maybe my colleague can say something on that.
Dan, good afternoon.
Thank you for the questions.
It's an honor for me to participate in this dialogue.
I would like to respond to the question concerning supportive aids and alternative communication means.
Within these reforms that have been mentioned, there are investments into digitalization as well, we aim to ensure education across all schools.
That means that all schools would be able to assure the basic package.
We also provide different types of trainings to teachers and school staff to be able to use those devices and aids.
We also created a system of individualized support.
If a pupil needs some aids, we have created a possibility to provide individualized aids and support that is needed in order to have normal education.
Now the next question in the upper higher education being reformed and then we go to the higher education and universities.
There are also centers for the support of students with disabilities.
We have high quality centers across the country.
Technical university in Koschitz has their own debarrirization center.
And they create in cooperation with students with disabilities, design new aids that would help those students.
We also have in place some programs and strategic documents that are being prepared until 2030 and until 2040 in the field of digitalization.
There are different programs that have their own action plans, and they are also aimed at students and training of future teachers that will be able to use those aids, especially artificial intelligence.
Thank you for these additional clarification.
Is the Ministry of Health ready to answer the questions related to the sexual and reproductive rights of children or those with disabilities and question concerning contraceptives? Madam, you have the floor.
Thank you.
The right to health care is based on the principle of non discrimination.
That means that women and girls with disabilities have the same rights to gynecology and other health cares like other women and girls.
I would like to mention as well that according to the data from the data base of medications that have been registered in Slovakia, there are more than 380 types of hormonal contraception and more than ten products for local contraception, contraceptions, and other methods of contraception or birth control, There are various types and if the doctor decides it can be covered by health insurance.
Next, the Ministry of Whole Health.
Uses different standard procedures.
For example, for the free natal departments and patients and all the standards and standard procedures in gynecology are accessible at the website of the Ministry of Health.
Thank you.
Thank you for the answer.
Thank you.
I'm going to move on to Article 26.
There were some pending questions on health, but we'll come back to those later.
I just wanted to recall that regardless of the legal point of view, All persons should have access to health care and we're speaking about specific measures to guarantee the exercise or enjoyment of these rights, as we've said on other occasions over the day, there need to be special affirmative measures for people with disabilities to ensure that they do indeed have access to these rights.
Here we're talking about children and girls and sexual reproductive health.
Now I'm going to turn to Article 25.
Earlier, we heard about the geographical distribution and differences across the country when it comes to access to services for people with disabilities.
This leads to inequalities between people with disabilities and limitations as to access for rehabilitation and rehabilitation.
And in particular, 18 years when they turn 18, sorry.
Is there any kind of plan to ensure the provision of hability and rehabilitation in the community? Any roadmap? I'd like you to be as specific as possible in your answer.
If such a plan exists, and what is the time frame for that plan? To ensure that rehabilitation and rehabilitation is guaranteed throughout the life cycle and across the entire country.
Thank you.
The Ministry of Healthcare acknowledges the need of better coordination of rehabilitation and rehabilitation services.
The question, however, goes beyond the Ministry of healthcare and requires intersectoral cooperation.
We would like to inform you about the network of institutional and health care.
Our sector is checking the current needs.
However, we have to say that no legislative process in this respect is currently at place.
Thank you.
Ministry of Labor is ready to complement to this answer.
Madam, you have the floor.
Thank you for the possibility to add information.
We have a very clearly definition of social rehabilitation, which is provided as different professional assistance.
Or as independently exed activity.
Social rehabilitation is the activity which enables a person to attain and maintain maximum independence, ability to self care, to be able in his or her environment, or some training of use assistive aids or maybe read braille This expert activity clearly has to be provided by a person having this capacity.
We call these persons as the specialist in social rehabilitation.
Also, the skills to work are being developed.
Persons should be then more capable to be included in the working life and life of the society.
Thank you.
Thank you for these additional clarifications.
Okay.
Thank you.
We trust that inter ministerally, you'll be able to ensure the provision of community based services for rehabilitation and habilitation of people with disabilities.
I'm now going to turn to Article 27 on work and employment for people with disabilities, and I'm going to give the floor to my colleague, Mr.
Magni to address this particular article.
Are you I'm sorry.
She was going to give.
But she didn't say about me.
Yeah.
Sorry.
This Article 27.
The state subsidy for hiring a workplace personal assistant for persons with disabilities require high level of support from mining administraatively tied to the segregated structure of sheltered workshops.
What legislative reform will be undertaken to decouple these measure from segregated satin and transfer them directly to open labor market as an individual enforceable right? What measure does the state party plan to adopt to promote enforcing the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labor market? Does the state party have a plan to establish and establish a transition to open labor market employment that include direct state aid and mainstream employers to physically adopt their work environment? Thank you.
Thank you, Chair for the questions.
I see Ministry of Labor is ready to give you answer and clarifications.
Madam, you have the floor.
Very good afternoon.
Thank you very much for the question.
As for the position of personal assistant, this institute is in the Act on employment services as one of the active labor market measures.
There are no needs to update the act as this allowance is not linked to shelter or sheltered position, but that allowance may be provided to all employers upon their request once they employ the person with disability, not only in the shelter world, but also an open labor market based on the disability and based on the work a certain accommodation is necessary, then it is done.
Also, this allowance is to be provided to social employments.
As for the second part of the question, I wish to say what measures Slovak Republic has adopted? I respect to employment of the disabled persons on open labor market.
The primary aim of Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and family is to increase the employment of persons with disabilities on the open labor market and move from their long term in shelter works.
There is another fact which supports it is the one that since 2016, when CRPD was disappointed by a high number of employed disabled persons in sheltered works.
Since that year, we have managed to decrease the number of of persons employed in shelter works by 39% and disabled person by 50%.
As for the employment of persons with disabilities on the open labor market, certain measures have been adopted.
The first one relates to the fact that new legislation was passed.
I have already mentioned the Act on Social Enterprises, and and one of the tasks of these social enterprises is to help persons to move from these sheltered work to the workshops to these open labor market.
Also, the transition of this shelter works was possible.
They are now being created into integration workshop.
Also gradual implementation identified until 2027 has started to be implemented and that relates to more employment of more people with disabilities who are able to be employed on the labor market.
It relates to more job opportunities to support employment of persons with disabilities.
Um, the beginning was done via projects.
There is support to the employment of these persons with disabilities on the labor market has no condition that these people were previously to be employed at the shelter works.
Further, Incentives for employment are aiming at integration of the people in the labor market.
Here, we may mention allowance for the employers that have opened sheltered works or sheltered facilities, and it is a bonus for the fact that they have employment.
The person Second activity is to retain the position of.
Thank you.
I'm sorry for interrupting you, but we're a little behind in time.
We have some time restrictions.
I'm very grateful to you for the description, but we'd like to have a very specific answer.
We'll move now because of the lack of time to Articles 28 and 29.
Please, I'd appeal to you to be very specific and concise in your answer.
We'd like you to answer how compatible the disability benefit given and for employment if it's compatible, and how in light of the tax reform that's underway in the country, are you going to guarantee or maintain rather the disability benefit? What plans are in place at state level to increase Okay.
Disability benefits for those living under the poverty line.
At the same time, when a person with a disability who, for example, is living in social housing for people with disabilities, then exceeds certain income levels, do they then lose this right? Is it understood as an additional cost? This is under Article 28.
For Article 29, I'd like to give the floor to my colleague, Floyd Morris, who's going to address participation in political and public life.
Thank you very much, my distinguished colleague and also to welcome the distinguished members of the Slovakian delegation.
I have one question here that I want to ask.
While the automatic disenfranchisement regarding the right to vote has been partially he is by the court.
Section six C of Slovak Election Act number 180 slash 2014 explicitly maintains an absolute and discriminatory Ban preventing all persons who is legal capacity is restricted by court order from standing as candidates in public elections.
Number 85 slash 2005 on political parties restricts their participation and internal decision making within political parties.
When will the state party repeal these unacceptable restrictions on the right to stand for election in full compliance with Article 29 of the Convention.
Thank you.
If you can respond to these questions, then we pass to the follow up questions and we open the session to the members of the committee to ask questions.
Thank you.
Is Ministry of Labor ready to answer first part of the questions linked to increased benefits, compatible benefits, et cetera Back As for disability pensions and work of the people with disabilities, Slovak belongs among those countries that don't limit the level of disability pensions because of the fact that the person would do earning activities, the person may improve their activity and their disability pension is not decreased.
Thank you.
You can name that Thank you for the floor.
I'd like to add by saying that Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and family, there's legislation on financial allowance of severe disabilities.
It's the legislation 447 of 2008, and there is the allowance which is linked to subsistence minimum or is change as it is in respect to the allowance for personal assistance or allowance for care.
The allowance are updated by the government decree on the 1st of July each year.
Last time, it was the fact that 728 was the care allowance in case of two persons, 969, if a child was included then plus 200.
In personal assistance, 6.81 euro is the sum for personal assistant.
The compensation allowances really aim to improve the situation of the person's their dignity.
That is why the earning possibilities are included in it.
Once the person achieves times the subsistence minimum, then the benefit is decreased.
In Jacob Pacina Thank you for the question related to the right to be elected and to vote.
As said previously, the conditions are stipulated by the legislation 180 from 2014.
This legislation has been amended several times, the most recent one in June 2026.
Now, the right to vote has only one obstacle in Article 4, and that is only limitation of personal freedom if special legislation doesn't change the decision.
As the right to vote, there are paragraphs 5 and 6 and there are obstacles to be elected when the person is in jail.
Or to be convicted for premeditated crime, and third position, if there is a legal incapacity of the person and it has not been changed.
This, in fact, three conditions relate to able bodied as well, anybody.
I thank you for the clarifications.
Now we open to the member of the committee for follow up questions.
Lorenzo, please.
To the delegation on Article 21, I have two questions.
Do you have up to date sign language dictionaries? And do you have a code of ethics for interpreters of sign language? On Article 25I would be grateful if you could tell us more about mother child health care or the health of mothers and children who have disabilities.
Can you also give us some figures on the maternal mortality rates and mother child mortality rates and also on care that is provided during birth and post birth.
Furthermore, does the mother have a choice to give birth naturally or is a cesarean mandatory? In those first minutes after birth, are those minutes respected and the baby is placed on the mother's chest or are they separated? This information, if you could share this with us, we'd be grateful also that you could deaggregate this with figures according to the different regions and also looking at the more urban statistics so that we can compare the situation in urban areas and rural areas and what mother child health looks like.
This is extremely important.
In particular, I would tend to say for deaf women, What kind of communication is provided in maternity wards or maternity clinics for deaf women? Finally, do you have any statistics on income or GDP for accessible tourism? Thank you.
Can be concise, please.
Is the Ministry of Health ready to answer the second part of the questions? Madam, you have the floor.
Thank you for the floor.
I will start.
There are many ideas I have in mind.
I will start with the birth.
There is the possibility of choice for the mother to decide on the way of birth.
We also adopted a baby friend initiative project.
That means the support of training of professionals in breastfeeding and baby fighting friendly initiatives.
The main objective is to train professionals in neonatology gynecology so that they can act in line with requirements of the initiative.
It is also a Important to check for the quality provided during birth and after birth.
The personnel is trained to teach mothers how to start breastfeeding.
This is also the answer to the first part of the question that, yes, the child is put on the mother's breast as soon as possible when it comes to mother and child mortality during and after birth, There is the National Center of Healthcare Information that provides these type of statistical data, and we will provide these in writing since we do not have those at hand.
That's all.
Thank you.
Thank you for the answer.
Rosemary, please.
Thank you very much, Chair.
This first question is a request.
It's not a question per se.
We'd like to request some updated statistics around cluster three, mainly because we don't have any stats after the state report of 2020, that would be really useful and that could probably go to some elements of cluster two.
The other thing that comes up both within cluster, all three clusters is the interrelation of service provision and implementation of the convention in the development of the coordination of disability policy is the relationship with regions and municipalities.
Could the state party provide clarity around if there is a centralized coordinating role and who holds that coordinating role for disability policies and the coordination with regions and municipalities? Thank you.
Thank you for this question.
I see Ministry of Labor is ready to provide you with procer answer.
Sir, you have the floor.
Thank you.
Concerning the coordination of the implementation of the convention.
It's the Ministry of Labor and the section of Social Policy that is responsible for this implementation.
In this coordination mechanism, we have created a secondary contact point on every ministry which are held by a different staff so that they are replaceable.
With every draft of a piece of legislation, we create a working group involving also people with disabilities and there is an association of cities of municipalities, which is the greatest counting more than 2000 municipalities in Slovakia and there is one more SK eight gathering eight regions in Slovakia.
In cooperation with these organizations, we assure the regional cooperation coordination because they can participate in creation of the legislation.
Thank you.
Christopher, please.
Distinguished delegation.
I have a question on Article 25 about health.
Observed that people with disabilities faces a lot of barriers whenever they're using medical facilities due to the fact that in most cases, the medical practitioners are not well trained to handle some cases that relates to people with disabilities.
My question is, I don't know how much the state parties have arranged to ensure that there's training and retraining of medical practitioners to ensure that they will handle the cases of people with disabilities when they come to hospitals.
For instance, having enough sign language interpreters and I don't know how regular this training, how how regular they go they train these practitioners because in most cases, they go there, they may not be able to understand the challenges they are being faced.
So I'm requesting that you state parties should please explain to us how regular you train these medical practitioners in order to handle the barriers faced by persons with disabilities when they're using the facility.
Thank you.
Thank you for the question.
Is Ministry of Health ready to answer the question? Ma'am, you have the floor.
Ana.
Thank you for the floor.
I will start and probably I will be complemented by my colleague.
At the level of higher education and at the level of higher secondary education, there is health care ethics and social care that are included in the curriculum.
The different subjects have different names, but they are part of a study program that prepares the students for their profession within the health care and There are parts concerning persons with disabilities.
For example, for doctors, there are minimum standards for different study programs in specialization fields like pediatry gynecology Obstetrics.
Obstetrics and there are specialized standards for the program nursing staff, and in other fields of education, the issue of the rights of the disabled persons makes part of the study programs in different specialization fields and for different medical professions.
So all in all, this approach and education and the approach to persons with disabilities is covered throughout the professional life of medical staff in general, so I am unable to give um the exact frequency, but I can say that this is happening throughout the profession.
I would like to compliment shortly that in the process of updating the standards that started in 2023, we assess and revisit the curricula for different medical professions.
The issue of persons with disabilities and the contact of the staff with those persons and the development of ethical and social aspects in medical care is part of a curriculum focused on communication skills.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to Amalia, please.
Liga.
Thank you very much Chair.
I would like to request a clarification with regard to my article in Article 29.
Even that those homes which have six to 12 residents that seem like ordinary homes run counter to the convention.
Please study and analyze our guidelines on deinstitutionalization, including in emergency situations.
Now, with regard to Article 29, persons under guardianship and who are living in institutions or small residential homes, do they have the right to vote? Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Natalia.
Natalia Gua, thank you.
I've just got a follow up question on Article 27.
I'd like to know what Measures are taken to avoid discrimination in the open labor market when a person acquires a disability and reasonable accommodation is denied.
What measures are taken to prevent this kind of discrimination and redundancies because of an acquired disability? What measures are you taking to support persons with disabilities entrepreneurship, particularly entrepreneurship amongst young people with disabilities? Thank you.
Your Excellence, you have the floor, please.
Thank you.
Ministry of Justice, maybe the answer concerning right vote.
Ministry of Interior response as for the right to vote.
If the person is deprived of liberty, otherwise, there are no obstacles.
The possibility to vote in another facility except this polling station, this Article 24 allows the person due to health reasons.
The person may request or another person may request the municipality or the persons from the polling station to vote the person in different district and different place.
In such a case, the election committee nominates two persons that will go with the voting ticket and the box together with the ballot list and these persons will assure the confidentiality of the vote and that the person who received the ballot has to sign the paper that it take over the ballot or if it is not possible to do it by the person, then these two responsible persons will sign it or will put the information in the system.
Thank you.
For this clarification, I believe Ministry of Labor is ready to answer the last question.
Madam, you have the floor.
As for the question, what measures the ministry has adopted so that the person that acquired disability retains its job on the market? I want to say the following.
Under the incentives, we have an activity to retain the person on the labor market.
This is done since October 2024.
The employer gets the allowance to retain the person in the position.
Another activity which is linked to accommodation of the employment place so that the person can continue work.
That one is used since October 2025.
We issued a call where the employers may ask us for support once they want to carry out certain changes in the working place, both in respect to the place and technical equipment.
So complimentary amendments or we have 2 minutes.
As for the guidelines on the institutionalization, we know them.
That is why in Social Services Act, we have them and we have prepared certain individual plans and we have individual plans which are being drafted, which are assessing the provision of this individual service.
Really, we assume here the active participation of the beneficiary of this social service and by this, we want to respect the will and aspirations of the recipient.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for all your responses and your input.
We have now completed the substantive part of the constructive dialogue.
I would like to invite Your Excellency to deliver the closing remarks on behalf of the delegation.
Thank you.
Mr.
Chairman, distinguished members of the committee, ladies and gentlemen, allow me in conclusion to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to present the Slovak Republic's periodic report and to engage in today's constructive dialogue.
We are grateful for the committee's questions, observations, and recommendations which provide an important opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved in the implementation of the convention, as well as on the areas where further measures are required.
Slovak Republic fully recognized that the implementation of the convention is a continuous and evolving endeavor.
While we remain committed to building on the progress made to date, we are equally mindful that challenges persist and that there is still room for improvement in the future.
We therefore remain determined to continue strengthening our policies, legislation, and practical measures, bringing us ever closer to the full realization of the rights of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.
We look forward to carefully considering the committee's concluding observations and recommendations and to continuing our efforts in close cooperation with all relevant stakeholders to advance the rights, inclusion, and participation of persons with disability in all areas of life.
The Slovak Republic remains committed to its international human rights obligations and to the principles of equality, non discrimination, dignity, and inclusion.
We will continue to work towards the full and effective implementation of the Convention and towards ensuring that the rights and freedoms of all persons are respected, protected, and fulfilled.
Allow me to conclude by thanking the chair and to all distinguished members of the committee for their time, engagement, and valuable guidance.
We look forward to continuing our cooperation in the spirit of constructive dialogue and shared commitment to human rights.
I thank you very much for your attention.
Thank you very much, Ambassador.
You're concluding remark.
I now give the floor to Natalia Gua, a member of the task force remark on behalf of the task force.
Natalia, the floor is yours Natalia.
Thank you, Chair.
Your Excellency head of Delegation, Distinguished delegation from the Republic of Slovakia.
We'd like to extend our most sincere thanks to you for your presence here during this constructive dialogue and your attitude throughout the entire review process.
As you know, the committee's aim is to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
These constructive dialogues allow us to become more familiar with the progress achieved by state parties, in this case by the Republic of Slovakia, as well as to identify the challenges, areas for improvement, and the policies and regulations that still need to be brought into line with the convention.
Ultimately, we want to provide state party with recommendations to help you achieve the highest possible standards for ensuring the enjoyment and exercise of all human rights by all persons with disabilities.
Our task force and the committee as a whole would like to thank you for your very sincere and honest answers and all the information that you've provided during the course of this dialogue.
We are, of course, eager to receive the additional answers you've promised us in writing, notably updated statistics as well as the recently implemented plans and programs.
We would also like to commend the involvement of organizations of persons with disabilities from Slovakia throughout the process.
We would like to encourage the state party to continue harmonizing its laws with the CRPD, which you've done so far on the basis of recommendations we made in 2016.
There's laws that you have updated on buildings, technologies and other areas.
Nevertheless, we'd like to draw the State Party's attention for the need to adopt measures which will allow the full exercise of all human rights by persons with disabilities, which goes beyond their mere recognition in law.
We reiterate our concern about the need to eradicate the barriers which persons with disabilities still face.
Notably, you need to do away with substitute decision making and limits on the legal capacity of persons with disabilities which are still in force in Slovakia.
We also call upon you to work on deinstitutionalization, inclusive education, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the open labor market.
And Otherwise, persons with disabilities will not be able to fully participate on equal footing in political, economic and social life.
We're convinced that Slovakia is quite committed to its responsibilities to implement the CRPD on the basis of international human rights law.
Thus, this committee stands ready to support the state party in implementing the measures which we present to you in our recommendations following this dialogue.
We would like to encourage you to inform us of the evaluations that you make of your policies once you have results.
You can count on this committee as well as all the other stakeholders as you work towards a fair and more inclusive society for persons with disabilities, which is the most appropriate way for achieving a fair and equal society.
Thank you very much.
Excellency, distinguished member of the delegation.
On behalf of the committee, I sincerely thank His Excellence, Fedo Rosasa and the distinguished delegation of Slovakia for your contribution, engagement with the committee for this time spent here in this role.
I also thank the members of the task force, Mr.
Marcus, miss Rosemary, miss Nataria and for their preparation work and throughout the dialogue.
I thank all member of the committee for their active participation, as well as the Secretariat, interpret, captioner, and all those who have supported this dialogue.
The information provided during this meeting together with any additional written response will assist the committee in preparing its concluding observations.
The concluding observation will be finally communicate to the state party through this permanent mission.
This concludes the committee consideration of the periodical reports of Slovakia.
Thank you very much.
The meeting is adjourned.