Face Discrimination – Let’s Confront Discrimination

The project addresses the issue of discrimination.

Discrimination remains a significant challenge in Slovenia. Every fifth resident of Slovenia reports having experienced discrimination, some of them on multiple occasions. Discrimination occurs across all areas of society, most frequently in employment and the workplace, as well as in access to goods and services. Victims most commonly report unequal treatment based on personal characteristics such as nationality or ethnic origin, skin colour, gender, disability, and citizenship. Therefore, raising awareness and strengthening education on discrimination at all levels is of essential importance.

With this objective, the partners have developed the project “Face Discrimination – Let’s Confront Discrimination”, through which we will promote the principles of equal treatment and equal opportunities to the wider public over the next two years. Particular attention will also be devoted to strengthening protection against discrimination at the level of local public administration.

Through the implementation of project activities, we aim to contribute to:

Improved cooperation and information exchange among public authorities
Increased awareness of discrimination and available response mechanisms within the public sector and the broader public
Enhanced skills and competencies of public officials in identifying and addressing discrimination, enabling them to act as promoters and advocates of equality.

Project partners:

Fundacija za izboljšanje zaposlitvenih možnosti Prizma, ustanova,
Skupnost občin Slovenije,
Univerza V Ljubljani, Akademija za gledališče, radio, film in televizijo.

Let’s Confront Discrimination – Building a Society of Equal Opportunities

Information Sheet >>>>>

Project leader:
Zagovornik načela enakosti

Project duration:
december 2022 – november 2024

Project funding:
440.629,21 EUR

More about project:

Infografike

Short Films on Discrimination

Advocate of the Principle of Equality, examined a case of alleged discrimination involving a group of mourners at Ljubljana’s Žale cemetery who needed transport to the city centre. They contacted a taxi service and arranged for two vehicles to pick them up. The taxis arrived at the agreed location separately. First, one driver refused the ride, followed by the second.

During the investigation, the Advocate established that both taxi drivers had refused to transport the passengers solely on the grounds of their race or nationality. The Advocate therefore determined that the case constituted direct discrimination.

The short film “Farewell” is an artistic interpretation of this documented case of discrimination. It was produced within the framework of the project Face Discrimination – Let’s Confront Discrimination, implemented jointly by the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television of the University of Ljubljana, the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia, and Fundacija Prizma, in cooperation with the Advocate of the Principle of Equality. The project is co-financed by the European Union.

If you are a victim or witness of discrimination, you can report it to the Advocate of the Principle of Equality.

www.zagovornik.si.

Following a complaint concerning the blanket exclusion of all homosexual men from blood donation, the Advocate of the Principle of Equality conducted a discrimination assessment procedure and, in December 2021, determined that such differential treatment based solely on a person’s sex and sexual orientation was discriminatory.

In reaching this decision, the Advocate applied a proportionality test and concluded that an automatic and permanent ban on blood donation for all men who have had sexual relations with men was neither fully appropriate, nor the only possible measure, nor proportionate to the legitimate aim of ensuring the safety of donated blood.

The Advocate informed the Ministry of Health and the Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia of the decision. The Human Rights Ombudsman had already warned in 2018 that the existing regulation might be inappropriate. During the Advocate’s procedure, the Blood Transfusion Centre stated that as of 2022, only temporary deferrals would apply in Slovenia, and that donor eligibility would be assessed based on the risk level of sexual behaviour, regardless of sex or sexual orientation. This reform was implemented on 1 July 2022.

The short film “Zone of Trust” is an artistic interpretation of this documented case of discrimination. It was produced within the framework of the project Face Discrimination – Let’s Confront Discrimination, implemented jointly by the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television of the University of Ljubljana, the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia, and Fundacija Prizma, in cooperation with the Advocate of the Principle of Equality. The project is co-financed by the European Union.

If you are a victim or witness of discrimination, you can report it to the Advocate of the Principle of Equality.

www.zagovornik.si.

The Advocate of the Principle of Equality examined a case of alleged discrimination in a hospitality establishment in the Murska Sobota area, where a waitress told three guests that she would not serve them because they were Roma.

The Advocate established that the waitress had treated the guests less favourably than others solely on the basis of their personal circumstance of nationality or ethnic origin.

The short film “Echo” is an artistic interpretation of this documented case of discrimination. It was produced within the framework of the project Face Discrimination – Let’s Confront Discrimination, implemented jointly by the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television of the University of Ljubljana, the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia, and Fundacija Prizma, in cooperation with the Advocate of the Principle of Equality. The project is co-financed by the European Union.

If you are a victim or witness of discrimination, you can report it to the Advocate of the Principle of Equality.

www.zagovornik.si.