Governance

In the field of social inclusion, the Slovak Republic fully respects obligations adopted at the level of the European Union, United Nations Organisation and UNESCO. The theme of social inclusion has been developed at the governmental level and at the level of state and some competencies have been transferred to local or regional governments e.g. establishing of social care homes for children (Act on the Organisation of the Government Activities and on the Organisation of Central State Administration/ Zákon o organizácii činnosti vlády a organizácii ústrednej štátnej správy). The Governmental Council for Human Rights, National Minorities and Gender Equality  (Rada vlády pre ľudské práva, národnostné menšiny a rodovú rovnosť) play the role of permanent, expert, advisory, coordination and consultative body in this field.  

Main actors

The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic, bearing the final responsibility for the field of social inclusion, deals also with the employment strategy, labour market policy, social insurance, public social benefits, social care, social/legal child protection, social guardianship, gender equality and equal opportunities.

The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic bears responsibility for preparation, coordination, and evaluation of the state youth policy. Therefore the Slovak Youth Strategy 2020-2028 was developed and the Regional Stategies have been encouraged by the donation system via NIVAM – Slovak Youth Institute. 

Other state bodies and institutions involved in tackling the social exclusion:

• The Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic deals with social inclusion of inhabitants living in Roma communities via its Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities (Úrad splnomocnenca vlády SR pre Rómske komunity) 
• Public Defender of Rights is protecting the general human right ensured by the Slovak Constitution Act
• The Children Commissioner (Komisár pre deti) was established in 2012 by Act 176/2015, protecting the rights of the child granted by The Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• The Commissioner of the Persons with Disabilities  (Komisár pre osoby so zdravotným postihnutím) is protecting the rights of persons with disabilities granted by The      Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 

Non-governmental non-profit organisations working towards social integration, including the youth as the target group:

• EPIC, n.o. (employment and employability)
• People in Need / Človek v ohrození, o.z. (social and community work)
• Socia Foundation / Nadácia Socia (systemic changes for socially excluded persons)
• Milan Šimečka Foundation/ Nadácia Milana Šimečku (human rights and multicultural education)
• Pontis Foundation / Nadácia Pontis (Company Social Responsibility, persons with hearing impairments)
• Open Society Foundation / Nadácia otvorenej spoločnosti (participation, public voice, media campaigns)
• Effeta, o.z. and NGO Myslim / Myslím, o.z (persons with hearing impairments)  
• Union of Blind and Visually Impaired Persons of Slovakia / Únia slabozrakých a nevidiacich Slovenska, NGO Word / SLOVO, o.z. (persons with visual impairments)
• NGO Margaretka / OZ Margarétka, Slovak Union of Physically Disabled People / Slovenský zväz telesne postihnutých, Slovak Union of Disabled Persons / Slovenský zväz zdravotne postihnutých, NGO Barlička/ OZ Barlička (physically disabled and disabled persons)

Association for People with Developmental Disabilities / Združenie na pomoc ľudom s mentálnym postihnutím v Slovenskej republike , NGO ECHO/ OZ Echo (intelectually impaired)

• The Land of Harmony Foundation / Nadácia Krajina harmónie (intelectually impaired and physically disabled persons)
• Youth of the Streets / Mládež ulice – low threshold programs for the unorganised youth and streetwork
• Center for Community Organizing / Centrum komunitného organizovania – prevention of radicalisation of the youth
• A-Centrum (youth with autism, inclusion and self- advocacy)
• IMPACT HUB  (support of young entrepreneurs, including social entrepreneurship)
• NGO EDUMA/  EDUMA, n.o. (support of social inclusion via education of the society)
• NGO Wild Poppies / Divé maky, o.z.  (development of Roma youth talents)
• Saplinq o.z. – supporting the queer community in Eastern Slovakia, Diversity Initiative / Iniciatíva Inakosť – the platform supporting the rights of LGBTI+ people in Slovakia, including homeless people and women in violent realtionships

Cross-sectorial cooperation

The The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family facilitates activities of the Committee for Children and Youth (Výbor pre deti a mládež), being one of the committees of the Governmental Council for Human Rights, National Minorities and Gender Equality. It gathers together the representatives of various ministries, local and regional governments, as well as non-governmental non-profit organisations. This committee elaborates the National Action Plan for Children, (Národný akčný plán pre deti  2015 - 2017) representing basic instrument for targeted and coordinated actions for implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols at the national level. This Action Plan is followed up by the Vison and Strategy of the Development of  Slovakia 2030. 

Moreover, the Cross-sectoral Working Group for State Policy in the Field of Youth has been established by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and it bears responsibility for implementation of inclusive education and youth work.