The Slovak National Centre for Human Rights (Slovenské národné stredisko pre ľudské práva – SNSĽP in Slovak) is an independent state institution established by law.
The Centre belongs to a network of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), established upon the so-called Paris Principles of the United Nations.
By the Anti-discrimination Act, SNSĽP was also authorised to be the specialised body (“Equality Body”) for the promotion of equal treatment for all grounds of discrimination covered by the Act.
How can it help you
Legal assistance
The Slovak National Centre for Human Rights provides legal assistance to individuals claiming violation of their human rights or claiming infringement of the principle of equal treatment by a public authority or private entity. You can submit an oral or a written complaint to the Centre, which will be handled confidentially and free of charge. You can visit the Centre’s Headquarters in Bratislava (address below) or one of its Regional Offices in Žilina, Banská Bystrica and Košice personally or you can turn to the Centre by mail, e-mail or via a telephone line.
The Centre can provide you consultation and advice, it can act as a mediator in your case, or it can provide you legal representation at court free of charge. However, in the past years this latter form has been hampered by lack of expert capacities of the Centre.
Information, education and training services
If you are looking for any kind of information about human rights, you can consult the Centre’s Library or website. If you are responsible for civic education at your school or for professional training of your employees you can invite the Centre to provide you special targeted trainings and educational activities.
Activities
- Monitoring and evaluating the observance of human rights
- Conducting research, surveys and analysis concerning observance of human rights and non-discrimination by both public authorities and private entities
- Providing education and training services for various target groups
- Collecting, analysing and providing information on racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in the Slovak Republic
- Providing legal advice, legal assistance and legal aid to victims of discrimination through either voluntary settlement or mediation or legal representation at court
- Raising public awareness in the fields of human rights and non-discrimination
- Publishing independent reports and recommendations on issues relating to observance of human rights and non-discrimination
- Providing library services