Human Rights Ombudsman dr. Zdenka Cebasek - Travnik delivered a critical message on Human Rights Day on Friday, suggesting that Slovenia will have to do more to ensure the protection of human rights. Dr. Cebasek - Travnik dedicated the day to the elderly.

"Unfortunately I cannot speak of any major changes for the better," ombudsman said about her priorities, which include the rights of children, the elderly and the disabled, violence, environmental protection and poverty.

"We will have to speak again and again about children's rights," she said, pointing to the failure to pass the new family law, which would ban corporal punishment.

"Why don't we adopt a simple law called Prohibition of Corporeal Punishment of Children and show the domestic and international public once for all that we are serious about this," she wondered.

Similarly, she criticised the authorities for holding up for over three years the ratification of the convention against the sexual abuse of children.

Dr. Cebasek - Travnik is equally displeased with equal opportunities, noting that the law and the national resolution on equal opportunities are not having the desired effect.

"How these documents can truly guarantee equal opportunities has become clear at this year's local elections: of the 208 elected mayors, only 10 are women."

Turning to the institutional level, the ombudsman said Slovenia should have a national institution for the protection of human rights, as the lack thereof is a "serious shortcoming".

"We don't have a national institution to research, coordinate international campaigns, act as interlocutor to NGOs and civil initiatives, or presenting Slovenia at international human rights conferences and forums," she said.

Ombudsman dedicated this year's Human Rights Day to the elderly and also participated today in a panel debate in which she highlighted the problem of media neglecting their problems.

She pointed out that modern trends violated the right of the elderly - who usually do not use computers - to be informed, while also highlighting poverty, especially among older women, as a very serious problem.

Ombudsman dr. Zdenka Cebašek - Travnik called for the introduction of as special representative defending the rights of the elderly, and for a special law securing old age care.

Head of the Pensioners' Association Mateja Kozuh Novak also pointed to the knowledge, experience and wisdom of other people, which are being neglected, including by politicians.

She feels that the elderly are being disregarded, threatened, isolated and pushed away and is urging more intergenerational solidarity.