A/HRC/28/15 8. Slovenia stated it had further reduced court backlogs to the point where they could no longer be considered a systemic problem. 9. Touching upon austerity measures, the delegation assured they were carefully reexamined with a view to minimizing the impact on the most vulnerable. Social transfers played a very important role in poverty reduction in Slovenia. 10. The delegation addressed questions received in advance of the interactive dialogue, first providing additional information regarding questions received from the Czech Republic, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the erased and presenting the concrete measures in the Compensation Act. 11. On the questions received in advance from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland about the Roma, the delegation referred to the improvement in the housing conditions of the Roma, which is a priority of the National Programme of Measures for Roma for the period 2010–2015 and with progress reached in many Roma settlements during recent years. 12. On trafficking in human beings, in response to inquiries by the Czech Republic, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the delegation reiterated the importance it attaches to the issue. The delegation asserted that the National Coordinator reports annually to the Government and the National Assembly on preventive measures and assistance to all victims of trafficking. 13. In answering Belgium on discrimination against the children of same-sex couples in schools, based on their family’s sexual orientation, the delegation, in presenting relevant awareness-raising activities, highlighted a book “My name is Damjan” on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons that all secondary school students were receiving during the current school year. In responses to the question of Spain, it explained that the Slovenian Ministry of Health and the blood transfusion service were currently considering their existing practices, with a view to adapting it to both medical requirements for ensuring a high level of protection for recipients of blood and the principle of nondiscrimination. 14. In addressing a question from Mexico, the delegation reiterated that in Slovenia, gender equality is a right, a goal and a horizontal principle permeating all spheres of life of both women and men during all periods of life. Slovenia further specified the position of women in the labour market, whereby the wage gap is among the lowest in Europe, i.e. approximately 2.5 per cent in 2012. He also presented an important awareness-raising project in regard to combating violence against women: “VESNA — to live a life free of violence.” 15. The delegation addressed questions by Norway about overcrowding in Slovene prisons, explaining that overcrowding was only an issue in one prison during a short time period and was being remedied by various measures. Regarding the ruling of the European Court on Human Rights foreign currency deposits in Ljubljanska Banka, the Government had appointed a working group for its implementation and was preparing an action plan, which will be presented to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe by midJanuary 2015. 16. The delegation also emphasized that discussions on the strengthening of the Human Rights Ombudsperson are currently ongoing, in order to qualify for Group A accreditation status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. 17. The delegation addressed questions by Belgium, explaining that interministerial coordination procedures were under way regarding ratification of the Optional Protocol to 4

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