“My son was placed in a hospital ward of about 10 square metres in size, with four cribs in it, all of them occupied. Consequently, mothers had only chairs left to sit on. My partner’s idea was putting a foam rubber mat under the crib and sleeping there, huddled up. A couple of other mothers followed her lead.
The Hungarian government has been promising to close down / merge institutions belonging under the governance of ministries and this plan has finally been realized. Why did it happen and why is it such a problem? What were the responsibilities of these institutions so far and what will happen to their previous tasks now? Let us explain.
As part of our campaign "I have a child with me," we conducted a unique survey of Hungarian healthcare institutions, submitting 64 public interest data requests to hospitals with maternity or children's wards.
A new initiative in Hungary seeks to guarantee the right of children to have their parents stay with them in hospitals, as guaranteed under a 1998 healthcare act that has yet to be fully implemented.
Three Hungarian NGOs are seeking answers from the state health authority after it decided against granting over-the-counter access to a morning-after pill out of concern for women's health.
Three Hungarian NGOs are seeking answers from the state health authority after it decided against granting over-the-counter access to a morning-after pill out of concern for women's health.
On the occasion of the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, nine European civil society organizations are launching this petition directed to the European Parliament, asking for a legal guarantee that human rights standards related to the interruption of pregnancy are respected in all Member States.
Hungary's Constitutional Court has passed a decision on euthanasia and living wills that will make them easier to implement or withdraw, but the ruling falls short of ensuring that the fatally ill can choose a truly dignified and self-determined end.
The HCLU is pleased to announce the launch of a new quarterly newsletter: Global Developments in Religious Freedom and Equal Treatment. This newsletter, prepared by the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO), focuses on significant international developments, including cases and legislation, concerning religious freedom, equal treatment, and the intersection of the two.
A petition was sent by three NGO-s to the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament (hereinafter: Committee) concerning the fact that Hungary has not implemented the provisions of Directive 2005/36/EC into the national legislation and therefore the recognition of professional qualifications with regard to the competence of midwives.
With its latest measures aiming to tighten regulations on medical sterilization, the government is about to intrude into the private lives of citizens. The proposal is another attempt at increasing the number of births – however, similarly to abortion regulations, the planned restrictions are not only inexpedient, but they also violate basic rights.
When the Fundamental Law came into force, HCLU publicly voiced its worries about the constitutional clause on the protection of the fetus which could lead to restrictions on abortion. The Fundamental Law states that along with the right to life and human dignity the fetus shall be protected from conception. The law on abortion has not been changed, however, the government has, through legal and non-legal means, tried to influence pregnant women which has come to undermine the right to self-determination. HCLU calls attention to the emerging problem with the following summary.