We are promoting respect for human rights in Slovakia, in particular rights of the Roma ethnic minority, which is facing, most of all, a social exclusion.
Our priorities are:
- discrimination;
- police violence;
- protection of reproductive rights, specifically an issue of forced sterilization of Romani women;
- promotion of activism and human rights education.
In these fields:
- we provide legal advice, free of charge;
- we provide, in specific cases, legal representation free of charge in court proceedings and other legal procedures with regard to their broader social impact, so-called ‘strategic litigation’;
- we conduct monitoring and research;
- we carry out educational and publishing activities;
- we advocate for systemic changes on the political level;
- we provide information, to international human rights organizations.
By court proceedings, and other legal procedures, we seek above all:
- to improve an implementation of legislative measures for a protection of human rights of minorities;
- to encourage a public discussion regarding the violations of human rights of minorities in our society;
- to maintain pressure upon a relevant state authorities to adopt necessary measures to guarantee the protection of human rights of minorities.
Our main goal is:
- Empower: We support those who suffer human rights violations and empower them to become active participants in addressing injustice.
- Litigate: We ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are held into account, that victims get redress through courts and that courts become vehicles for social change.
- Educate: We run well informed advocacy campaigns addressing specific human rights violations and educate key stakeholders on applicable international human rights standards.