Twenty years have passed since the adoption of the Race Equality Directive. It is also because of this Directive that children in all countries around Europe learn about tolerance and the unacceptability of discrimination. The Advocate of the Principle of Equality notes that those violating the prohibition of discrimination are not always aware of it. Once the Advocate warns them about unequal treatment however, many of them correct their misconduct.
The Advocate of the Principle of Equality has only been operating in Slovenia for approximately four years. Last year, the number of filed discrimination complaints and requests for counselling doubled. We are of valuable assistance to the people, by:
- Providing counselling,
- Determining the existence of discrimination, and
- Raising awareness about discrimination among the general public.
We especially wish to point out our success in establishing dialogue and conducting mediation between perpetrators and victims of discrimination. These procedures have once again affirmed that education about discrimination is the key tool for its elimination.