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| Slovakia | |
 Flag of Slovakia | |
| Population (in Mil.) | 5.5 |
 Sex Ratio (m/f)
| 0,94 |
 Life Expectancy Ratio (f/m)
| - |
 Fertility Rate
| - |
 Income Ratio (f/m)
| 0.58 |
 Literacy Ratio (f/m)
| n/a |
 Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (f/m)
| 1,22 |
 Women in Parliament (in %)
| 16,7 |
| SIGI Rank | - |
| More information on variables | |
Contents |
Overview
The Republic of Slovakia has shown real commitment to gender equality since 1993, with national strategies and programmes in place to combat discrimination. Widening salary gaps between men and women, the absence of mechanisms to encourage female political participation and prevailing stereotypes of women that discriminate against their participation in the public sphere continue to hinder real progress in gender equality.
Legislation
CEDAW was signed on behalf of the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in 1980; and the Slovak Republic ratified its commitment in 1993. The Desk for Equal Opportunities and Antidiscrimination (within the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family) was established in 2003. It performs policy analysis, advocacy, coordination and monitoring of implementation of gender policy. The Coordination Committee on Women's Issues, which consists of representatives from the government as well as NGO’s and other external actors, is also located within the Ministry and functions as a consultative body.
In 2004, the government adopted the N'ational Strategy for the Prevention and Elimination of Violence Against Women and in Familiesin a bid to prevent the rise of violence. The strategy prioritises greater co-ordination amongst relevant state actors and establishes mechanisms to increase data collection on violence against women.
Employment
There remains a number of significant inequalities between men and women in Slovakia's labour market. Pay inequality between men and women is increasing in Slovakia. While in 1996 women's gross average monthly pay was 74.5% of that of men, by 2002 this had fallen below 72%. Wage differentials are greater at higher income levels. A larger proportion of women than men are clustered in the lower wage brackets. In 2001, 69.1% of total part-time employed were women. In 2003, women made up 27.7% of total employment in the agricultural sector, 30.7% in the industrial sector and 57.8% in the service sector. In 2000, women made up 57% of total employment in the public sector and 35% in the private sector.
Political Empowerment
Women were given the right to vote in 1918. Women's representation of in public functions and in the decision-making processes is currently unequal. After the 2002 elections there were 29 women of the total 150 MPs (19.3%) Subsequently after the departure of several of them to the European Parliament their number dropped to 24, which currently comprises 16%. This is still an increase since 1998, when the proportion of women in the Parliament was 14%.
Education
The education level of women is approximately the same as that of men. In the economically-active population, there has been the same proportion of women with higher education as of men. Women represent more than 60 % of students in liberal arts and natural science schools, more than 50 % in economics-oriented schools, almost 50% in arts-oriented schools, around 40% in agriculture-oriented and architectual schools, and around 25% in technologically-oriented schools. In food industry technology women comprise more than 60 % of students, in electronics less than 10 %.
Sources
- http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2004/08/feature/sk0408101f.htm
- http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2004/01/feature/sk0401106f.htm
- http://www.wieninternational.at/en/node/6083
- CEDAW, Combined Second, Third and Fourth Country Reports: Slovakia (2007)
- ILO, Facts and Figures on Gender Equality in the Slovak Republic [access through: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/gems/eeo/cover/slomain.htm]
- http://www.svu2000.org/women/
The Women, Business and the Law
Where are laws equal for men and women? 
The Women, Business and the Law report presents indicators based on laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees. Several of these indicators draw on the Gender Law Library, a collection of over 2,000 legal provisions impacting women's economic status. This report does not seek to judge or rank countries, but to provide information to inform discussions about women’s economic rights. Covering 128 economies, Women, Business and the Law provides data covering 6 areas: accessing institutions,using property, getting a job, dealing with taxes, building credit, and going to court.Read more about the methodology.
For detailed information on Slovakia, please visit the Women, Business and
the Law Slovakia page.
