Slovenia

Despite the fact that women's equality is commonly accepted in the Republic of Slovenia (RS), inequality persists. In 2001, a referendum was presented to voters that asked them to decide if a single woman should have the right to medically assisted conception. Following a heated public debate that exposed lingering prejudices and stereotypes, the referendum failed. The majority determined that single women need a man's active participation in conception and that a single woman cannot provide a proper upbringing for her child. Despite these feelings, currently about one-half of all children in the RS are born to unmarried mothers.

Women account for more than half of Slovenia's 2 million people, and their average life expectancy exceeds men's by seven years, to 82 years, and they represent ...