On 13 April 2026, Deputy Ombudsman Miha Horvat and Jerneja Turin, Assistant Head of the Human Rights Centre, took part in an informal meeting with representatives of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva. During its session from 13 April to 1 May, the Committee will examine the Republic of Slovenia’s twelfth to fourteenth periodic report on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Informal discussions with the Ombudsman and non-governmental organisations precede the formal dialogue between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Committee. The Ombudsman has also submitted an alternative report on the implementation of the Convention.

As approximately ten years have passed since Slovenia was last reviewed by the Committee, it is important to assess the progress made during this period and the shortcomings that persist. The Ombudsman’s findings in the alternative report are available via this link, together with a brief summary.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) monitors the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in both a supervisory and advisory capacity. The Committee analyses reports submitted by governments, non-governmental organisations, and national human rights institutions, identifies shortcomings, and issues recommendations for improvement. It also considers individual communications submitted by individuals who believe that their rights under the Convention have been violated by the State. The Ombudsman has also prepared a guide on submitting complaints to international UN bodies.

In the past, CERD has drawn attention to the situation of the Roma community in Slovenia, particularly with regard to access to education, housing conditions, and social inclusion. The Committee has also raised concerns about hate speech, discrimination against migrants, and the need for more effective prosecution of hate crimes.

At the informal meeting in Geneva, Committee members focused in particular on the housing conditions of the Roma community, the inclusion of Roma children in education, and the content and implications of the Act on Urgent Measures to Ensure Public Safety. They also addressed issues related to hate speech and individuals erased from the register of permanent residents in 1992.

Although CERD’s recommendations are not legally binding, its concluding observations and recommendations provide additional oversight of state conduct and create pressure on the authorities to improve human rights protection, affecting both the country’s international reputation and its domestic policies. They also often serve as an additional basis for legislative and policy changes.