Between October and December 2024, the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (Ombudsman) dealt with various complaints of people who contacted him in connection with ensuring the human rights of persons with disabilities. He helped the complainants with explanations about their rights and legislation, addressed recommendations to the competent authorities for better realisation of rights, and publicly drew attention to the rights of persons with disabilities. The following is an overview of completed consideration of complaints and various public activities.

(In)accessibility of government and ministry premises for persons with physical and sensory disabilities

The Ombudsman analysed the accessibility of the premises of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and ministries for persons with disabilities. He concluded that accessibility is still not adequately ensured, despite legal obligations. Half of the cases related to a lack of basic adaptations such as accessible lifts, toilets, floor markings, and communication equipment. The situation is particularly bad for persons with sensory impairments. The Government admits some improvements and is planning measures, but the Ombudsman warns of the necessity of quick action, as the deadline for adjustments expires in December 2025. He proposed the establishment of a working group for systematic analysis and measures and the provision of the necessary funds. The Government replies that it is already making some adjustments and plans further investments. 

The MDDSZ's delay of more than nine months in responding to the application of a disability organisation is unacceptable

In September 2023, then in December of the same year and in May 2024, a representative disability organisation that represents, protects, and enforces the rights and interests of paraplegics and tetraplegics asked the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities (MDDSZ) for an explanation regarding interpretation of Article 12 on the Enforcement of Rights from Public Funds. She received no response to their requests. Only after the intervention of the Ombudsman did the MDDSZ respond and provide the requested explanations. According to the Ombudsman, the response, which took more than nine months, is not consistent with the principle of good management, as set out in Article 3 of the Human Rights Ombudsman Act. 

Prolonged decision-making on entitlement to disability benefits

Due to the inactivity of his employer, the Ministry of the Interior, the Police and the Institute for Pension and Disability Insurance of Slovenia, a complainant was without partial disability benefit for almost half a year, and for a considerable part of that time he did not even receive an advance payment of partial benefit. The Ombudsman found a violation of the right to social security and a violation of the principle of good governance in the work of the authorities. 

Delays in the expert opinions of URI Soča

The Ombudsman received a letter from the Association of Centres for Social Work of Slovenia (SCSD), which contacted him regarding the procedures for obtaining expert opinions for acquiring the status of a disabled person under the Social Inclusion of Disabled Persons Act (ZSVI). The SCSD explained that the procedures carried out by URI Soča, which is responsible for providing these opinions, take too long, in some cases even more than eight months. She also drew attention to the insufficient reasoning of these opinions. In connection with this issue, the Ombudsman also received a specific complaint from an individual, in which URI Soča did not prepare an expert opinion for more than nine months. The opinion was issued only after the intervention of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman made several inquiries at the MDDSZ. In its reply, the Ministry explained that it is aware of the mentioned problem and is actively solving it, by contractually regulating the production of expert opinions with URI Soča. Subsequently, the MDDSZ informed the Ombudsman that the contract on the preparation of expert opinions for the needs of disability assessment under the ZSVI for the years 2024 and 2025 was signed in September 2024. Based on the explanations provided, the Ombudsman expects that there will be no more delays in issuing expert opinions in the future.

The Ombudsman successfully intervened in ensuring parents' access to children's documentation

The Ombudsman was contacted by a complainant who explained that her daughter was in the process of obtaining a decision on the guidance of children with special needs due to identified developmental deficits. The parents filed an application for a decision, and the school sent its opinion to the Institute of Education of the Republic of Slovenia. The complainant asked the school to see the opinion, but she was only allowed to read the document, but not to photograph or photocopy it. The Ombudsman made an inquiry at the school and found that, after his intervention, the school immediately handed over a photocopy of the requested document to the complainant. In the opinion of the Ombudsman, such restriction of access to photocopies of documentation related to the child represents an interference with the rights of parents from Article 54 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia. The Ombudsman considers his intervention in this case to be successful.

The Ombudsman met with representatives of the Museum of Madness

On 15 October 2024, the Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina met with representatives of the Museum of Madness in Trate, Dr Sonja Bezjak and Dr Andreja Rafaelič. They presented to him the operation and activities of the Museum of Madness, especially their efforts to ensure suitable conditions that would enable people with long-term disabilities to live in the community. In the conversation, the Ombudsman expressed his deep concern about the slow, flawed and ineffective process of deinstitutionalisation in Slovenia. 

The National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) continued to visit care and work centres

In November, a representative of the NPM[1] visited the residential unit of the Tončka Hočevar Care and Work Centre (VDC).

Representative of the Ombudsman on reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities at the UN Economic and Human Rights Forum

Jerneja Turin, adviser to the Center for Human Rights and chair of the working group for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), participated in a panel on 25 November 2024, within the framework of the United Nations Economic and Human Rights Forum. The discussion took place on the topic of reasonable accommodations for the disabled. In her contribution, she emphasised that reasonable accommodation is a legal obligation that contributes to dignity, equality, and inclusion. Refusal to make a reasonable accommodation amounts to discrimination, and companies must provide those accommodations unless they would pose a disproportionate burden. Countries must establish clear legal frameworks, and provide guidelines for the economy and effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. 

Organisation of a meeting of European national institutions for the protection of human rights on the topic of monitoring the realisation of the rights of persons with disabilities

The chairwoman of the ENNHRI working group for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Jerneja Turin, organised an online meeting of representatives of national human rights institutions on the topic of the use of indicators in monitoring the realisation of the rights set forth in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the participation of disability organisations in the implementation of the mandate of monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities.

Ombudsman at the Pre-Session of the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva on the situation in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities

On 22 November 2024, the Ombudsman participated in the pre-session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva. At the event, Jerneja Turin, adviser to the Center for Human Rights, presented key areas of human rights that require special attention in Slovenia to the representatives of the countries' permanent representations in Geneva. She focused on the right to health and the protection of vulnerable groups. She emphasised that the rights of persons with disabilities are still not adequately protected. Public institutions, including schools and administrative buildings, often do not meet accessibility standards. Institutional care still dominates community care options, limiting independent living and exposing persons with disabilities to the risk of violence, neglect, and mistreatment. 

The introductions to the Ombudsman's annual reports are now also adapted for blind and visually impaired persons

This year, The Ombudsman has prepared an audio recording of the introduction to the Annual Report of the Ombudsman for 2023. At the same time, audio introductions to the previous annual reports from the mandate of Peter Svetina were also recorded, i.e. from 2019 onwards. You can find them here.

Ombudsman on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Ombudsman pointed out that caring for the most vulnerable members of society is an important indicator of the level of humanity and solidarity in society. He emphasised that the rights of persons with disabilities are one of the central themes of his mandate, as it is a group that often faces inequality and discrimination. More about the Ombudsman's activities.