Executive summary

• Author: Pietruchova, Olga
• Pages: 6-6

IPOL | Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs

6 PE 659.922

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background

Access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services is a fundamental component of sexual and

reproductive rights. Under international human rights law and standards, European Union Member

States should ensure access to safe and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare. According to the

World Health Organization (WHO), sexual and reproductive rights is an umbrella term for four separate

areas: sexual health, sexual rights, reproductive health, and reproductive rights (SRHR).

The situation regarding SRHR in Slovakia does not only meet required international standards, but it

has worsened in the last two decades. The legal status of abortions in the country is being constantly

challenged despite the legally binding decision by the Constitutional Court back in 2007 whic h

safeguarded woman’s rights to reproductive self-determination. Eleven proposals to restrict abortion

have been presented in the National Parliament, in the last two years. As the abortion debate in the

country is very emotional, it is often misused by some political parti es to conceal more serious political

problems.

The general public in Slovakia is rather favourable in supporting the free choice of women when

deciding about abortion. According to the latest opinion poll1, only 17% of the respondents want to

tighten access to abortion for women. Nonetheless, the predominant role of the religious and

conservative institutions and actors in the country and its influence on policymakers all-across the

political spectrum hampers and obstructs any possi ble positive development. The best example is the

unavailability of medical abortion, even though the pill was registered by the Slovak Drugs Agency

back in 2013. Because of the lobbying of the Catholic Church by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of

Health did not authorise its use in practice2. The relatively high financial cost of abortion (which equals

the minimum living costs in the country) and contraception make it inaccessible for groups of women

at risk of poverty and social exclusion, students, and women from the Roma community. Furthermore,

the conscientious objection applicable in the health services sector and the currently ongoing COVID-

19 pandemics limit access to abortion services further, particularly in areas with a strong influence of

the religious and conservative institutions and actors.

Consequently, the civil society under the lead of some feminist NGOs can only focus on keeping the

status quo instead of lobbying for positive development. On one hand, they are in such a situation

loaded with advocacy activities; on the other hand, the government has de facto cancelled the financial

support. Thus, the SRHR in the country is at risk as never before.

Aim

The aim of this paper if to provide comprehensive background information about SRHR, particularly

abortion rights and services, in Slovakia.

1 http://www.ivo.sk/8705/sk/aktuality/vo-verejnosti-prevazuje -nazor-ze-sucasny-interrupcny-zakon-netreba-menit

2 https://spravy.pravda.sk/domace/clanok/323472-potratova-tabletka-na-slovensku-nebude/