Actions taken:
In 2023, Slovenia allocated 465.000 EUR to programmes fighting GBV and supporting gender equality and empowerment via ICRC (supporting prevention activities in Nigeria and Special Appeal on Sexual Violence), UN Women (supporting peace and security activities), Violence Against Women Trust Fund and Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).
Through its activities in the UN between 2022 and 2024, Slovenia has regularly contributed to UN Security Council discussions on children and armed conflict, sexual violence in conflict, women, peace and security, and on the protection of civilians. By becoming a member of the UN Security Council for the 2024–2025 term, it is stepping up its engagement. The Women, Peace and Security Agenda is one of the four priority areas which Slovenia is planning to focus on during its membership.
In its national statements at five UN Security Council open debates on women, peace and security during the above period, Slovenia highlighted the importance of women’s economic empowerment for building safe and stable societies, the inclusion of women survivors and victims and their interests in transition processes, the growing gender gap in food security, environmental degradation as one of the key multipliers of women’s vulnerability, and condemned the reprisals against women human rights defenders and other female activists for their cooperation with the UN. At two UN Security Council debates on sexual violence in conflict, Slovenia called for the prevention of and accountability for such violence. Slovenia emphasised the need for an effective removal of barriers to reporting, investigating and prosecuting sexual violence in conflict, for a survivor-centred approach, for the full, equal and effective involvement of women in humanitarian, political, peace, security, development and reconstruction processes, and called for access to sexual and reproductive health services and psychosocial and economic support for victims and survivors.
Slovenia also works to protect women and girls by supporting partners such as international organisations and funds. As a supporter of the ‘Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies’ initiative, Slovenia pledged 120,000 EUR to the ICRC in 2022–2023 to help end gender-based violence in Nigeria. During the same period, UN Women committed 50,000 EUR to peace and security activities. In 2023, Slovenia made its first contribution to the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with 125,000 EUR (100,000 EUR for Syria, 15,000 EUR for the Rapid Response Window (RRW) on Women’s Participation in Political and Peace Processes and 10,000 EUR for women human rights defenders in countries facing humanitarian, peace and security challenges).
At the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly Third Committee, Slovenia regularly contributed to the discussions with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict, and signed joint statements on children and armed conflict and on women, peace and security. Slovenia also drew attention to other vulnerable groups in conflict, such as persons with disabilities and the elderly. At the UN Human Rights Council and in its Universal Periodic Review, Slovenia has repeatedly raised the issue of serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of international human rights law by states, addressing the situation of women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, etc.
Slovenia also regularly calls for respect for international humanitarian law and human rights law in other contexts. It also calls for criminal accountability for human rights violations and abuses.
In the context of debates on children and armed conflict, Slovenia has called for universal ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and for adherence to the Paris Principles and Commitments, the Safe Schools Declaration and the Vancouver Principles. The focus was on the most vulnerable, with particular emphasis on the protection of schools, educational institutions and hospitals. Slovenia is an active member of the Geneva, New York and Brussels Groups of Friends on Children and Armed Conflict and a strong supporter of the mandate of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
On 5 and 6 June 2023, Slovenia took part in the Oslo Conference for Protecting Children in Armed Conflict, where it also delivered its commitments.
Slovenia signed the Political Declaration on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence at the International Ministerial Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, held in London in November 2022, and made national commitments for action and efforts in this field. National commitments include efforts to strengthen the global response to sexual violence in conflict, to prevent it, to improve access to justice for victims and survivors, and to support survivors and children born as a result of such violence.
The Slovenian Peacekeeping Operations Training Center (POTC) provides annual training with a focus on women, peace and security.
In March 2023, Slovenia, together with Norway, organised a regional Conference on Women, Peace and Security for government representatives and civil society from South-Eastern Europe and Ukraine.
