On the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Child Rights Hungarian officials informed the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child on the implementation in Hungary of the Convention in Geneva on 9 and 10 September.

The delegation informed the Committee about the legal changes that have materialised, the government decisions made and the programmes implemented in the area of family and social policy, child protection and foster care, civil and criminal law, public education and healthcare implemented since the last report in 2006.

The Hungarian delegation led by Deputy State Secretary for Family Affairs Tünde Fűrész included, in addition to representatives of the government agencies concerned, representatives of the Hungarian Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Directorate General for Social Affairs and Child Protection.

In connection with the Optional Protocol to the Convention, the Hungarian delegation informed the committee about the legal changes related to child trafficking and sexual crimes involving children and stressed that Hungarian law expressly prohibited the recruitment, training and combat deployment of those under 18.

A constructive dialogue between the members of the Committee and the Hungarian delegation included questions regarding the status of the Convention in Hungary’s legislation, the situation of economically disadvantaged, Roma and disabled children, the fight against discrimination and development in public education, healthcare, child protection and the foster care system.

The Committee will put forward recommendations for Hungary which it will publish on its website after 19 September and the next discussions are expected to take place in five years.

(Ministry of Human Capacities)