Our colleague Vanda Durbáková gave an interview to the Czech online portal Romano hangos, in which she spoke about more than 20 years of work of the Centre for Civil and Human Rights in protecting the rights of Roma women and men in Slovakia, building trust within communities, and the importance of protection against discrimination through the courts.

In the interview, she emphasized the crucial role of judicial protection in an environment where various institutions often do not function effectively and do not actively seek to eliminate discrimination themselves:

“In a country where various institutions often do not function and do not make efforts to eliminate discrimination, we believe that courts can be one of the institutions that create pressure on other state institutions to act, while at the same time standing up for people who face discrimination,”

said Vanda Durbáková.

The interview also addresses why many cases of discrimination remain unreported, the obstacles people face when seeking justice, and how court decisions can contribute to important systemic changes – for example in the areas of education, healthcare, and access to housing.

At the same time, it is a reminder of the courage of those who decide to stand up for their rights – not only for themselves, but also for their children, their community, and a future free from discrimination.

You can read the full article here.

We thank journalist Johana Černochová for her interest in our work.

Photo: Maja Bodnárová