Definition of Youth

The 2014 youth strategy and the 2014 youth report describe youth as those under 30 years of age, as defined in the 2013 census.

SVK

Marriageable Age

  • Opposite Sex
  • Same Sex
  • Without parental consent
  • with parental consent
  • Male
  • 16
  • --
  • --
  • Female
  • 16
  • --
  • --



    • No data for marriage with parental consent. No specific legislation for same-sex marriage. Homosexual acts legal. Source: UNSD, ILGA

Candidacy Age

Criminal Responsibility

14
Minimum Age
For sexual abuse, a person cannot be held criminally liable until they have reached 15. Source:  Criminal Code of Slovakia
(2005)

Majority Age

18

Source: FOSIGRID

Voting Age

18


Source:  Inter-Parliamentary Union

Situation of Young People

Youth Development Index

0.58
101 out of 170 countries.

Literacy Rates

--
Both sexes (15-24) %
  • -- Male (15-24) %
  • -- Female (15-24) %
  • Year: No data.
  • Source: UNESCO

Net Enrolment Rate

Secondary School
--
Both sexes %
  • --Male %
  • -- Female %
  • Year: No data.
  • Source: UNESCO

Situation of Young People

Prevalence of HIV

--
Male (15-24) %
--
Female (15-24) %

Tobacco Use

Consumed any smokeless or smoking tobacco product at least once 30 days prior to the survey.
26.60%
Both sexes (13-15) %
  • 28.50% Male (13-15) %
  • 24.50% Female (13-15) %
  • Year: 2010
  • Source: WHO

Policy & Legislation

Is there a national youth policy?
Yes
Slovakia has a youth strategy for 2014–2020. A 2007 review, 2012 briefing and 2014 report exist.

The aim of the Slovak youth strategy 2014-2020 is to raise the quality of life for young people, through their development as young citizens that actively participate in society, and are ready to work in a constantly changing environment. The strategy sets objectives and targets in nine domains, including education, employment, participation, and health.  New domains that were not in the previous 2008-2013 youth policy include creativity and entrepreneurship, volunteering, and youth work. In contrast to the 2008 policy, the 2014 policy has youth investment and empowerment as its key pillars, with a focus on stemming migration of young Slovaks to other countries in search of better opportunities. There is also an emphasis on compatibility with European frameworks, such as the Youth on the Move initiative.

Public Institutions

Is there a governmental authority
(ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth?
Yes
The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic is the central body of the state administration responsible for the state's support for youth. The Slovak Youth Institute (IUVENTA), managed by the ministry, is the key state agency responsible for the implementation of certain aspects of the youth policy in the Slovak Republic, particularly in the area of research, youth information and activities for talented youth.

Youth and Representation

Does the country have a national youth organisation / association (council, platform, body)?
Yes
The Youth Council of Slovakia (RMS) was created in 1990. It advocates on behalf of children and youth organisations without regard to their political and religious views, nationality or ethnic origin. It has 33 non-governmental member organisations working with approximately 40,000 children and young people across the country. It represents the interests of its members towards the state administration, and contributes to the development of an enabling environment for the functioning of children and youth organisations.

Budget & Spending

What is the budget allocated to the governmental authority (ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth and/or youth programming?
Unclear
According to the funding section of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic website, funding for "support of children and young people" under the "National Programme for Education, Training and Youth" is 2.3 million EUR (3.1 million USD) for 2014. However this funding primarily covers a grant scheme for youth organisations. The entire amount of spending on youth across programme areas is unclear. According to the World Bank, Slovakia spent 10.56% of its government expenditure and 4.22% of its GDP on education provision in 2010.
Total Expenditure on Education as a Percentage of Government Spending and GDP

  • % of GDP
  • % of gov. expenditure

Source: World Bank
Gaps indicate missing data from the original data source. (Accessed August 2013).

Additional Background

From Youth Report: Situation analysis of the quality of life of young people in the Slovak Republic (2014) (Slovak original, English translation from Google Translate):  
Data from the latest census of population and housing provides a detailed description of the structure of young people in Slovakia according to age and residence [...]
 
Recent data indicate that the Slovak Republic had 5,410,836 inhabitants as of 30 June 2013: 51.3% were women and 48.7% men. Youth under 30 years accounted for 36.3% of the total population of 1,963,986 people (51.2% men and 48.8% women). This recent data, however, is not available by region.
 
In 2012, 55 828 children were born. The mean maternal age was 29.1 years and the mean age of the mother at the birth of the first child was 26.59 years. [...]
 
The youth of today are culturally independent, form distinct lifestyles, fashion, and specific values​​, but also new forms of partnership relations - marriage is concluded later, a growing number of young people live alone, and traditional marriage varies from couple to couple.
  The 2012 briefing (National report: First cooperation cycle of the EU Youth Strategy 2010-2012) states:
Slovak Republic does not have a specific law on youth, but issues related to needs and rights of young people are addressed in different laws and legal acts. Most important law, closest by content and character to Youth law is Youth Work Support Act n. 282/2008.
Cross-sectoral Working Group on Youth Policy (CS WG) started to work in 2008 as platform for coordination and implementation of cross-sectoral youth policy. In 2010 Youth Report was introduced as reflection of implementation of the youth policy into practice. Members of CSWG are: representatives of different ministries, which have in their agenda areas related to youth (9 members), representatives of regional government (8), representative of Slovak Youth Council, Confederation of Trade Unions and Union of Towns. Special position in the cross-sectoral approach in youth policy has the Council for children and youth. It is newly created government board for human rights, minorities and gender equality (hereinafter as “Board”). Council gives suggestions for rising protection and observance of children and youth rights and cooperates with different ministries, institutions, organisations, local governments, European bodies... Council, whose chair is deputy prime minister consists of representatives of ministries, representative institutions of municipalities, members of international organisations (UNICEF, UNHCR) and ombudsman
The raising awareness of EU Youth Strategy into the Slovak public and stakeholders is lengthy process. The core Slovak Youth Policy documents have been prepared and adopted before EU documents and dilemma is how to promote both documents, although the content and priorities are in principle the same. The second problem that arises is still inefficient coordination between various stakeholders’ measures even when a coordination tool such as CS WG or "Board" are already existed.