CAT/C/SVN/CO/3
observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
CEDAW/C/SVN/CO/4, para. 23). The Committee is also concerned that corporal
punishment of children remains lawful at home (arts. 2, 12 and 16).
The Committee recommends that the State party enhances its efforts to prevent,
prosecute and punish all forms of violence against women and children, including
domestic violence, and ensure effective and full implementation of the existing laws
and the national strategies adopted to that end, including the National Programme of
Family Violence Prevention for the period 2009–2014. The Committee also
recommends that the State party accelerate the adoption of the draft Marriage and
Family Act, which prohibits corporal punishment of children in the home (see
concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child,
CRC/C/15/Add.230, para. 40). Furthermore, the State party is encouraged to conduct
broader awareness-raising campaigns and training on domestic violence for law
enforcement agencies, judges, lawyers and social workers who are in direct contact
with the victims and for the public at large.
Trafficking in persons
16.
The Committee welcomes the amendments of the Penal Code introducing human
trafficking as a crime and increasing the punishment for such acts as well as the policies
aiming at raising awareness, protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators. However, the
Committee remains concerned that trafficking of women for prostitution continues to be a
problem in Slovenia and that measures to protect and assist victims are project-based and
not institutionalized and regrets the lack of information on the number of cases where the
victims received redress, including compensation (arts. 2, 4 and 16).
The State party should strengthen its efforts to combat trafficking in persons,
especially in women and children, in particular by:
(a)
Continuing its efforts to raise awareness for all law enforcement
personnel, judges and prosecutors on trafficking in persons;
(b)
Prosecuting perpetrators under the relevant provision of the Penal Code
and ensuring that all victims of trafficking obtain effective redress, including
compensation and rehabilitation; and
(c)
Improving the identification of victims of trafficking and providing
them with appropriate rehabilitation programmes, genuine access to health care and
counselling, and institutionalizing such services.
Asylum and non-refoulement
17.
Notwithstanding article 51 of the Aliens Act on non-refoulement, the Committee
remains concerned that the new Law on International Protection which regulates asylum
and asylum-related matters, does not contain a clause on non-refoulement, where there are
substantial grounds for believing that, if expelled, returned or extradited to another State, a
person would be in danger of being subjected to torture. It is also concerned about the
length and uncertainties related to the refugee status determination process (art. 3).
The State party should:
(a)
Ensure that the principle of non-refoulement is established in all
legislative acts that regulate asylum or asylum-related matters, including the
procedures for subsidiary protection concerning vulnerable groups, in particular
victims of trafficking;
5