1. By: Kirsty WOMEN OF SLOVAKIA

2. About Me: I am a senior Exercise Science major with minors in Coaching and Strength & Conditioning I live with my amazing boyfriend of 2 years, Ben, and our kittens Smokey and Lil I am a full time student at MSUM and a full time manager at Family Dollar I enjoy hockey and all sports, and spend most my spare time with my friends.

3. Slovakia Slovakian became an independent nation on January 1, 1993 after peacefully dissolving from the former Czechoslovakia Slovakia drafted a constitution based on equal rights and democratic ideas similar to those of other industrialized nations The Slovakian Constitution guarantees equal rights to women and men.

4. Slovakian Constitution Women and men are complementing humans and should be treated equally Women and men demand equal rights and responsibilities despite differences Women and men deserve and will be given the same rights in society Women are identical in human rights as men and will be treated as such

5. CEDAW & ICPD The Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) & The International Conference on Population and Development Program of Action (ICPD) Both are dedicated to ensuring women in Slovakia equal rights and preserving women’s rights for contraception

6. Threat To Equal Rights: Conscience Concordat Slovakia is currently considering enter a concordat with the Vatican A concordat is an international treaty between the Vatican and another country which would strictly enforce Catholic ideals in government laws The “Conscience Concordat” would mean an end to a woman’s right to purchase/use contraceptives and bring an end to abortions even if the woman’s life is at risk

7. Separation of Church & State Since becoming an independent nation, Slovakia has had a separation of Church and State If a concordat would to be signed, it would end the separation and contradict the Slovakian Constitution If a Catholic based government takes over, women’s rights would take the hardest hit

8. Uncertain Future Concordat still not signed but is a huge threat If concordat comes into effect, women’s rights to abortions and other reproductive rights will be denied Roman Catholic faith hinders the rights of women In respect to women’s rights, the war of church vs. state would be won by the church The Slovakian Constitution would have many rights eliminated from it