Office of the commissioner for fundamental rights of hungary

12.11.2021

The National Headquarters of the Hungarian Prison Service takes part in the renovation of the Rum Special Children’s Home of Vas County and the Baja Special Group Home maintained by the Saint Agatha Child Welfare Service, courtesy of the coordination efforts between National Commander of the Hungarian Prison Service, Counsellor, Major General Dr. Tamás Tóth and Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Dr. Ákos Kozma.

The expert staff members of the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights paid an unannounced visit to and conducted an on-site inquiry at the Rum Special Children’s Home of the Vas County Child Welfare Centre and Elementary School on 16 June 2021. In Ombudsman’s report No. AJB-125/2021, it was disclosed that some of the premises of the institution were in need of renovation, furthermore, the courtyard of the Children’s Home was not surrounded by a fence.

Previously, no Ombudsman’s inquiry had been conducted at the Baja Special Group Home maintained by the Saint Agatha Child Welfare Service, however, the operator thinks that the improvement of the physical conditions would substantially contribute to bettering the living conditions of the young persons in care.

This is why, at the request of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, the National Headquarters of the Hungarian Prison Service (BVOP) offered to take part in the renovation of the child welfare institutions concerned in the upcoming months.

As part of the charitable activity, BVOP will, among others, refurbish a group room for therapeutic activities, will fence the courtyard, and establish premises suitable for doing sports and receiving visitors at the Rum Children’s Home. Simultaneously, it will redecorate the internal premises and revamp the furniture of the rooms at the Baja Special Group Home.

The Ombudsman welcomes the measure taken by the National Headquarters of the Hungarian Prison Service. Dr. Ákos Kozma thinks that all this is a clear demonstration of that the prison organisation and the management thereof pay special attention to supporting those persons who belong to vulnerable groups of society, including children in state care and children with disabilities, and that it is open to properly considering the proposals made by the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.