Hungary - 2012
Is legal support for victims available from public agencies/bodies? Is there access for victims to assistance and justice?
- Code:
- RED12
- Key Area:
- Anti-discrimination Legislation & Implementation
- Strand(s):
- Discrimination, Equality
| Short Answer |
Yes. |
| Qualitative Info |
- For people in need, there is the “People’s Advocate” [1] network, regulated by the Act on legal assistance [2]. This network offers free information services and legal services for moderate fees, according the economical condition of the clients. - In employment-related cases, the Legal Aid Point Network[3] (maintained by trade unions and employers’ union, supported by the European Social Fund) offers free counselling services for emloyers, employees and entrepreneurs, at 151 places throughout the country. The travel costs to the venue of the client service are reimbursable upon request, taking into account the client’s economic conditions. - The Roma Antidiscrimination Costumer Service Network (IRMRAÜH, maintained by the Ministry of Justice and Law Enforcement[4]). Besides providing legal assistance, this feature of the Hungarian Ministry for Justice and Law Enforcement serves as a rich source of exemplary cases. The Anti-Discrimination Case Collection,[5] presenting the cases dealt by IRMRAÜH, is a valuable handbook for activists and lawyers. - However, given the complexity of the legal framework for seeking justice/remedy,[6] there is a need for legal guidance and assistance, provided by NGOs, for the victims of discrimination. One of the most significant actors in this field is NEKI / Másság Foundation, which releases a so called ‘White Booklet’[7] (containing the summaries of organisation’s complaint cases), which is another unique source of information for human rights activists, lawyers and researchers. This organization provides awareness raising trainings for different groups of professionals (e.g. patient right representatives) and uses innovative methods for sensitivity and awareness raising (e.g. theatre plays for youngsters on discrimination[8]). The NGO Kézenfogva Foundation published a collection of discrimination case descriptions (within the framework of a project aimed at providing information and legal aid services for people living with disability), presenting the experiences of people living with mental disabilities or autism.[9] Sources: [1] ‘Nép Ügyvédje’. [2] 2003. évi LXXX. törvény a jogi segítségnyújtásról (Act No. LXXX on Legal Assistance). [3] ‘Jogpont Hálózat’, http://jogpont.hu/oldal.php?megnyit=1001 [4] ‘Igazságügyi és Rendészeti Minisztérium Roma Antidiszkriminációs Ügyfélszolgálati Hálózata’ (IRMRAÜH). [5] Igazságügyi és Rendészeti Minisztérium, Megkülönböztetés a mindennapokban - Diszkriminációs jogesetgyűjtemény a Roma Antidiszkriminációs Ügyfélszolgálati Hálózat működése alapján. Budapest, Igazságügyi és Rendészeti Minisztérium, 2005. [6] See András Kristóf Kádár and András László Pap, ‘Intézményi kakofónia – a hazai antidiszkriminációs fórumrendszerről’ (Institutional cacophony – on Hungarian anti-discrimination institutions), Acta Humana Emberi Jogi Közlemények 19, 2008/1–2, pp.56–79.; Balogh, Lídia, András Kristóf Kádár, Balázs Majtényi and András László Pap, Antidiszkriminációs alapismeretek (Introduction to Anti-discrminiation Law), Budapest, L’Harmattan, 2010. p. 105. [7] See the latest issue: Iványi, Klára (ed.), Fehér Füzet 2008. A Nemzeti és Etnikai Kisebbségi Jogvédõ Iroda beszámolója. Budapest, NEKI, 2009. [8] Nemzeti és Etnikai Kisebbségi Jogvédõ Iroda 'Tollfosztás az ENSZ Kínzás Áldozatainak Világnapján' (Theatre performance on the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture), , 15.06.2010., http://www.neki.hu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=445:tollfosztas-az-ensz-kinzas-aldozatainak-vilagnapjan&catid=1:friss-hk&Itemid=64 (Date of access: 20. 02. 2012.) [9] Halmos, Szilvia and Gazsi, Adrienn Esetjogi tanulmányfüzet. Az értelmi fogyatékos, halmozottan fogyatékos és autista emberek számára működtetett antidiszkriminációs jelzőrendszer tapasztalatai, Kézenfogva Foundation, Budapest, 2000, available at: http://kezenfogva.hu/nehagydmagad/files/Esetjogi_tanulmanyfuzet.pdf
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| Groups affected/interested | Roma & Travelers |
| Type (R/D) | Anti-roma/zinghanophobia |
| Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas | Anti-discrimination, Daily life |
| External Url | |
| Situation(s) |
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| Library |
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