varstvo

Varstvo is a noun in Slovenian and in some related South Slavic languages meaning protection or safeguarding. It can refer to the act of guarding something, a state of safety, or to institutional arrangements that ensure welfare, safety, or conservation. Etymologically, varstvo derives from the verb varovati, “to guard,” and is related to concepts of vigilance and safeguard.

In Slovenian usage, varstvo appears in several domains. Legal and welfare contexts include child protection and guardianship arrangements, often expressed as varstvo otrok or related terms, denoting protective duties or supervisory care. In environmental and cultural policy, varstvo denotes conservation or preservation, as in varstvo narave (nature protection) or varstvo kulturne dediščine (protection of cultural heritage).

In occupational and public health contexts, varstvo is used to denote safety and protection measures, for example varstvo pri delu (occupational safety) or varstvo zdravja (health protection). It can also denote the safeguarding of property and security, as in varstvo premoženja or general security arrangements.

The term is primarily used in Slovenian, with cognates across Slavic languages existing but often with different standard terms in those languages. In modern policy discourse, varstvo is an umbrella concept linking law, social policy, environmental policy, and public safety, emphasizing protective duties and preventive measures.

Because of its broad sense, varstvo appears in government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and legal texts that address welfare, environment, and safety.