This report provides an overview of the current exposures of discrimination against Roma, their life experiences as well as experiences concerning their access to justice in Slovakia and Slovenia. It is based on a combination of theoretical research and empirical research, namely a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with various stakeholders in both countries.

The report confirms that Roma men and women in both countries face widespread discrimination in various areas of their lives from an early age – including areas of housing, education, employment, health care, ill-treatment by the police and ethnic profiling – caused by persistent negative attitudes of the majority population against Roma minority. Roma women in both countries often face multiple and intersectional discrimination based on their ethnic origin and gender, which has a deep systemic nature. The Covid-19 pandemic has also exacerbated ongoing shortcomings in the protection of the rights of Roma.

Effective application of anti-discrimination legislation through court practice remains insufficient in both countries, which hinders effective access to justice in this area. Roma men and women face serious obstacles in accessing justice, which we also describe in the report.

The report contains a range of recommendations for government institutions at the national level, the European Union and the national anti-discrimination authority, in order to eliminate persistent shortcomings.

The report was published in cooperation with partner NGOs Minority Rights Group Europe and EPEKA, Slovenia within the project “Promoting Roma equality in Slovenia and Slovakia”. Project is funded by the European Union.