Office of the commissioner for fundamental rights of hungary

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary announced a new stage of the children’s home renovation programme that was launched in 2021.

Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary Dr. Ákos Kozma pays special attention to protecting the rights of children. In this spirit, he continuously monitors the evolution of children’s rights in Hungary, so, among others, he pays regular visits to different child care institution in Hungary. The ombudsman inquiry has revealed several operational deficiencies, mainly with regard to the condition of the buildings of the institutions.

At the initiative of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary, 2021 saw the launching of an ombudsman’s programme for the renovation of children’s homes, with the support and participation of National Commander of the Hungarian Prison Service, Prison Lieutenant General Dr. Tamás Tóth and State Secretary for Forests and Land Affairs Mr. Péter Zambó. As part of this process, in 2021, the National Prison Service Headquarters fully renovated two children’s homes with the active participation of Szombathelyi Erdészeti Zrt. The ombudsman’s children’s home renovation programme resumed in 2022 and 2023 as well, two other children’s homes were fully renovated in joint efforts by AJBH (the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights), the National Prison Service Headquarters, the State Secretariat for Forests and Land Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mecsekerdő Zrt and VERGA Zrt. On 04 October 2023, the renovation of the Balassagyarmat-based Ipolypart Fészek Children’s Home commenced, among others, with the active participation of Ipoly Erdő Zrt.

On 17 October 2023, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary paid a visit to the Szent Benedek Group Home of the Saint Agatha Child Protection Service of the Szeged-Csanád Diocese, to which event he was accompanied by State Secretary for Forests and Land Affairs Mr. Péter Zambó, General Director of the Saint Agatha Child Protection Service of the Szeged-Csanád Diocese Mr. János Kothencz, Prison Brigadier General, Deputy Director General for Finance and IT of the National Commander of the Hungarian Prison Service Mr. Tamás Farsang, as well as CEO of Északerdő Zrt Mr. Adorján Zay, where  Dr. Ákos Kozma announced a new stage of the ombudsman’s children’s home renovation programme.  

This year, the project will be supplemented by the voluntary efforts taken by the staff of the Nógrád County Police Headquarters and the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Police Headquarters. 

In his project kick-off speech, Ombudsman Dr. Ákos Kozma thanked for the efforts taken by the heads and staff of the institutions that took part in this programme, and he also expressed his hope that a high number of children’s homes would still be refurbished as part of this programme, which can be considered good practice.