From Norms to Practice: The Implementation of United Nations Human Rights Standards in Slovenia

Benjamin Flander

doi:10.55073/2026.1.77-110

Authors

Benjamin Flander Associate Professor, Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor, Slovenia; Senior Research Associate, Law Institute of the Science and Research Centre Koper, Slovenia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2738-1590

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55073/2026.1.77-110

Keywords:

United Nations, universal system for protection of human rights, UN treaty bodies, constitutional human rights obligations, Slovenia

Abstract

The United Nations (UN) plays a central role in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide through institutions, treaties, and monitoring mechanisms, thereby establishing a comprehensive framework for safeguarding rights and addressing violations. This article analyses the implementation of the universal human rights protection system in Slovenia. It begins by tracing the historical development of human rights in the country, situated within its broader Central European cultural and historical context. It then examines Slovenia’s engagement with the UN, including its membership, succession to, and ratification of UN human rights instruments, and participation in related reporting processes. The article concludes with considering the perspectives of independent human rights institutions and academic scholars on the domestic application of universal human rights standards in Slovenia.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bajt, V., Šalamon, N.K. (2014) ‘Brezdržavljanskost v Sloveniji’ [‘Statelessness in Slovenia’], Dve domovini, 39, pp. 7–18 [Online]. Available at: https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/twohomelands/article/view/10822/9974 (Accessed: 2 July 2025).

Bardutzky, S. (2022) 'The Constitutional Development of Slovenia (1918–2021)' in Csink, L.,

Buergenthal, T. (2006) ‘The Evolving International Human Rights System’, The American Journal of International Law, 100(4), pp. 783–807 [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0002930000031894 (Accessed: 6 January 2025).

Cerar, M., Jamnikar, J., Smrkolj, M. (eds.) (2002) Dokumenti človekovih pravic z uvodnimi pojasnili [Human Rights Documents with Introductory Explanations]. Ljubljana: Društvo Amnesty International Slovenije in Mirovni inštitut.

Cvirn, J. (2015) Dunajski državni zbor in Slovenci (1867-1918) [Vienna state assembly and Slovenians (1867-1918)]. Ljubljana: Zgodovinsko društvo Celje and Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani.

Gaer, F.D. (2014) ‘The Effectiveness of the United Nations Human Rights Protection Machinery: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’, Proceedings of the Annual Meeting (American Society of International Law), 108, pp. 281–284 [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5305/procannmeetasil.108.0281 (Accessed: 23 February 2025).

Gomez del Prado, J.L. (1999) La protección de los derechos humanos en el sistema de las Naciones Unidas y de los organismos especializados. Strasbourg: International Institute of Human Rights.

Government of the Republic of Slovenia (2025) ‘Mednarodnopravni dokumenti s področja človekovih pravic in poročanja Slovenije: Univerzalni instrumenti o človekovih pravicah’ [‘International legal documents in the field of human rights and reporting by Slovenia: Universal Human Rights Instruments’] Univerzalni instrumenti o človekovih pravicah, 08 January. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.si/teme/mednarodnopravni-dokumenti-s-podrocja-clovekovih-pravic-in-porocanja-slovenije/ (Accessed: 21 March 2025).

Henkin, L. (1965) ‘The United Nations and Human Rights’, International Organization, 19(3), pp. 504–517 [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S002081830001242X (Accessed: 3 January 2025).

International Court of Justice (2025) International Court of Justice. [Online]. Available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/home (Accessed: 22 February 2025).

Katalinič, D. (1991) ‘Konvencija o otrokovih pravicah v vrtcih’ [‘Convention on the Rights of the Child in Kindergartens’], Otrok in družina: revija za družinsko in družbeno vzgojo, 38(1), p. 18.

Krkljuš, L. (2009) Pravna istorija srpskog naroda [Legal history of Serbian Nation.]. Belgrade: Pravni fakultet, Univerzitet v Beogradu.

Lagon, M.P., Kaminski, R. (2017) ‘Bolstering the UN Human Rights Council’s Effectiveness’, Council for Foreign Relations, International Institutions and Global Governance Program, Discussion paper, pp. 1–27 [Online]. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep29937 (Accessed: 10 February 2025).

Letnar Černič, J. (2019) ‘Business and Human Rights in Slovenia’, Cambridge Core blog, 16 April. [Online]. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/blog/2019/04/16/business-and-human-rights-in-slovenia (Accessed: 10 February 2025).

Murgel, J. (2001) 'Konvencija o odpravi vseh oblik diskriminacije proti ženskam: začel je veljati fakultativni protokol’ [‘Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Optional Protocol enters into force’], Pravna praksa, 20, pp. 31–32.

Murgel, J. (2003) 'Varstvo človekovih pravic v okviru Združenih narodov: postopki, ki jih lahko sproži posameznik’ [‘Protection of human rights within the framework of the United Nations: procedures that can be initiated by an individual’], Pravna praksa, 22, pp. i-iii.

Pavčič, U. (2019) Vloga in pomen pogodbenih teles Organizacije združenih narodov pri uveljavljanju mednarodnega prava človekovih pravic [’The role and importance of United Nations treaty bodies in the implementation of international human rights law’]. Doctoral dissertation. Ljubljana: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences.

Režek, M. (2002) ‘Neodvisnost sodstva na preizkušnji: pravosodje in sistem politične kazenske represije v Jugoslaviji (1948–1959)’ [‘Independent judiciary facing a test: judicial system and political criminal repression in Yugoslavia (1948 – 1959]’, Zgodovina za vse, 9, pp. 81–92.

Ribičič, C. (1978) 'Izvršilna oblast v stari Jugoslaviji’ [‘Executive power in old Yugoslavia’], Zbornik znanstvenih razprav, 38, pp. 241–268.

Rozman, T. (2020) ‘Business and Human Rights – Implementing the UNGPs in Slovenia’, Lexonomica, 12(1), pp. 51–74 [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18690/lexonomica.12.1.51-74.2020 (Accessed: 1 January 2026).

Šabič, Z., Roter, P. (2002) 'The UN and the maintenance of international peace and security: the development of human rights protection’ [‘OZN in ohranjevanje mednarodnega miru in varnosti: razvoj varstva človekovih pravic’] in Accetto, M., Cerar, M., Grilc, P., Mavčič, A., Perenič, A., Podobnik, K., Roter, P., Rovšek, J., Šabič, Z., Zagorac, D. (eds.) Human Rights Documents with Introductory Explanations [Dokumenti človekovih pravic z uvodnimi pojasnili]. Ljubljana: Društvo Amnesty International Slovenije, Mirovni inštitut, pp. 31–47.

Šalamon, N.K. (2016) Erased: Citizenship, Residence Rights and the Constitution in Slovenia. Lausanne: Peter Lang; https://doi.org/10.3726/978-3-653-06556-5.

Šalamon, N.K. (2018) Migration Law in Slovenia. 2nd edn. Alphen aan den Rijn: Wolters Kluwer.

Sancin, V. (2024) ‘UN Security Council Membership as a Litmus Test for for Slovenia’s Commitment to R2P’, Nordic Journal of Human Rights, 42(4), pp. 546–562 [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/18918131.2024.2313906 (Accessed: 1 January 2026).

Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (2025) ‘The at-risk-of-poverty threshold and rate higher', Income, poverty and social exclusion indicators, 16 February. [Online]. Available at: https://www.stat.si/StatWeb/en/news/Index/12690 (Accessed: 30 June 2025).

Strobl, M., Kristan, I., Ribičič, C. (1981) Ustavno pravo SFR Jugoslavije [Constitutional law of the SFR Yugoslavia]. Ljubljana: Pravna fakulteta v Ljubljani.

Türk, D. (2007) Fundamentals of International Law. Ljubljana: GV Založba.

United Nations (2025a) About UN Human Rights: High Commissioner [Online]. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/about-us/high-commissioner (Accessed: 19 February 2025).

United Nations (2025b) United Nations: Human Rights Council [Online]. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/hrc/home (Accessed: 21 February 2025).

United Nations (2025c) United Nations: Human Rights Council: Universal Periodic Review – Slovenia [Online]. Available at: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/si-index (Accessed: 22 February 2025).

Vilfan, S. (1996) Pravna zgodovina slovencev [Legal history of Slovenians]. Ljubljana: Slovenska matica.

Vučko, K., Šalamon, N.K. (2015) Ending Childhood Statelessness: A Study on Slovenia. London: European Network on Statelessness; https://index.statelessness.eu/sites/default/files/ENS%2C%20Peace%20Institute%20-%20Ending%20Childhood%20Statelessness%2C%20a%20study%20on%20Slovenia%20%282015%29.pdf.

Zagorac, D. (2003) ‘Challenges for universal protection of human rights [Izziv za univerzalno varstvo človekovih pravic]’, Revus – Journal for Constitutional Theory and Philosophy of Law, 1, pp. 77–85 [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4000/revus.1466 (Accessed: 13 May 2025).

Žontar, J. (2009) ‘Od neoabsolutizma do razpada monarhije’ [‘From neoabsolutism to the dissolution of the monarchy’], Kronika: časopis za slovensko krajevno zgodovino, 57, pp. 483–506.