Možnosť voľby (Freedom of Choice) was established in 2001 to preserve the human rights standard of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the Slovak Republic. Gradually, it also started to address the topic of GBV, gender mainstreaming in public policies and gender education. So far, we have implemented more than 40 successful projects in these areas. FoC is known as the most active feminist advocacy organization in the Slovak Republic, especially in the field of gender equality and GBV and the only one that has been engaged in long-term and systematic advocacy work in the field of SRHR. In our work, we consistently rely on international human rights conventions and promote solutions aimed at achieving gender equality and the protection of human rights as fundamental values of our society.
When we see injustice, we do not remain silent
The conviction that political processes can be changed has become the starting point of our civic engagement. We respond to political decisions that have discriminatory effects and make proposals for change.
We comment on laws and strategic materials, negotiate with politicians, organize collective comments, public protests, conduct research and analysis, monitor the situation and inform the public and the international community about it. We conduct a tireless dialogue with state and public institutions, work in participatory bodies, most actively in the Governmental Council of the Slovak Republic for Human Rights, National Minorities and Gender Equality and its Committee on Gender Equality.
Acting as main women’s human rights advocacy organisation in Slovakia, FoC has been widely recognised by several actors in this capacity as key and important actor. In 2015, FoC chair-person Adriana Mesochoritisová was awarded with Fitfh Women Award in category Activism for significant contribution to elimination of GBV. She was also nominated for Award of Ministry of Justice in area of human rights and for prestigious Simon Veil Prize 2021 by French Embassy in Slovakia for work in protection of SRHR of women in Slovakia.
We don’t keep what we have learned to ourselves – We disseminate information, educate, pass our knowledge and skills to people.
In order to engage as many people as possible to protect their rights and increase their gender and civic activism competences, we implement educational activities, especially experiential gender trainings. We are the organization with the most extensive experience in implementing adult gender education in the Slovak Republic with the widest portfolio of training programs (basic sensitizing gender trainings, specialized trainings on the topic of SRHR, GBV, CEDAW training, Istanbul Convention training, Advocacy training etc.). Our graduates come from different professional backgrounds: helping professions (health cares, lawyers, social workers etc.), NGOs, teachers, journalists, students, politicians, PR professional, state and public institutions employees etc.
Since 2005 FoC has provided for over 40 in-depth comprehensive gender capacity building trainings, workshops and summer schools of human rights delivering over 2000 training hours to over 800 participants from various backgrounds.
An Alumni Programme is in place for our graduates, where we further develop collaboration and provide support in engaging with gender equality issues, particularly SHRH and GBV.
We connect and we stay connected
The FoC sees collaboration as a key factor in successful advocacy for SRHR and gender equality. That is why we create and strengthen networks of committed and engaged people, organisations, institutions. We have been long time advocating directly in the Slovak parliament, educating and consulting with politicians in support of SRHR. We work closely with democratic media and independent institutions such as the National Centre for Human Rights and the Public Defender of Human Rights. FoC also actively promotes civic activism and networking amongst human rights, feminist and women’s organization.
In 22 years of work, we have managed to create many alliances and networking networks. We are also a member organization of several national and international networks (e.g. ASTRA network). Since 2018, FoC as founding organization is part of important Initiative Nebudeme Ticho (We won’t be silent) that has been intensively advocating against raising attempts in parliament aiming to impose restrictions on access to safe and legal abortion in Slovakia. The initiative We won’t be silent successfully advocated against over 20 legislative proposals aiming to impose restrictions or bans on access to safe and legal abortions in Slovakia.
We bring issues to the people through public campaigns, promotional and media activities
We conduct public campaigns to raise awareness and engagement in human rights advocacy. 21 years ago, we co-organised the first ever GBV campaign in Slovakia called The Fifth Woman, which raised this important issue invisible to public. Since 2014, we have carried out 3 national campaigns in support of the Istanbul Convention. The Let’s Speak Out Against Violence Against Women – Support the Istanbul Convention campaign had a reach of over 3 million people.
In light of the increasing attacks on reproductive rights in the SR, we are implementing advocacy activities aimed at promoting SRHR and strengthening HR frameworks for public discourse on abortions. This is mainly through our social media channels (2 Facebook pages FoC and Istanbul convention, and one Twitter and one Instagram account). For example, our social media posts had a great organic reach of 900,816 people for the period June 2021 to April 2022. We are also succeeding in sensitizing the public discourse on reproductive health and rights through mainstream media (providing information, giving interviews, consultations, handouts). Based on media monitoring, a conservative estimate of the reach of our media statements (over the last year) is more than 12,858,067 people. Currently we are developing a major campaign to raise the visibility of barriers that women face in accessing a legal abortion.
