Strengthening the Voice of Single Parents in Slovakia

Author: Dimitar Keranov, Transatlantic Foundation

Implemented by the ONE PARENT civil society organization from October 2023 to July 2025, the Strong Voice of Single Parents project addressed the limited visibility of single-parent families in policymaking and public life in Slovakia. It aimed to strengthen their voice by documenting their needs, creating spaces for dialogue, and turning their lived experience into practical recommendations for policy and practice.

The project was implemented through several connected activities. ONE PARENT carried out a broad survey, organized seven hybrid regional meetings and two roundtables, collected examples of good practice from abroad, and prepared recommendations, including the Semafór riešení (Traffic Light of Solutions) and the Declaration of the Rights of Single Parents. A working visit to the Single Parents’ Centre in Budapest also helped the organization draw on international experience when shaping its advocacy work.

The project’s reach extended well beyond what was originally planned and brought together parents, experts, public officials, local-government representatives, and members of the wider public. The surveys and consultations gave the initiative a strong evidence base, and they helped bring parents’ perspectives into discussions with institutions and decision-makers.

One of the project’s most important achievements was the public signing of the Declaration of the Rights of Single Parents at the National Council of the Slovak Republic on March 26, 2025. The declaration was signed by the minister of labor, social affairs, and family, and later also by the mayor of Trnava. Trnava thus became the first regional capital city in Slovakia to publicly associate itself with support for such families. This milestone was the result of sustained advocacy, regional consultations, and data gathered directly from single parents.

The regional meetings were another important part of the project’s impact. They brought parents together with representatives of state administration and local authorities as well as experts in open discussion. At one meeting in Košice, a participating single mother of three said: “For the first time, I feel that someone is listening to what we really need. We are not just numbers in statistics.” These discussions allowed participants to describe the barriers they face and helped ensure that their needs were reflected in the project’s recommendations and proposals for systemic solutions.

The project also had strong public visibility through media, online communication, and publications, helping bring the challenges of single-parent families to a wider audience.

Together, these results show a successful initiative that turned single parents’ experiences into concrete recommendations and a stronger basis for future policy and practice.

The project The Strong Voice of Single Parents, supported by the Engaging Central Europe program of the Transatlantic Foundation, was implemented under the PROTEUS program and co-funded by the European Union.

The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Transatlantic Foundation (TF) or the European Union (EU). Neither the EU nor TF can be held responsible for them.