The Human Rights Working Group was formed with the participation of twelve ministers of state. The Chairman is Zoltán Balog, Minister of State for Social Inclusion.

The working group’s tasks are the following: to monitor the human rights’ situation in Hungary; to promote specialist communication in this field; and to engage civil society and professional organizations in consultation with constitutional bodies. It will make recommendations to the Government on the drafting and application of legislation in the interests of human rights in Hungary. A priority goal will be to monitor implementation of the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) working group at its eleventh sitting in May 2011.

At its first sitting, the working group decided on the formation of the Human Rights Round Table, which will enable the group to consult with civil society and professional organizations monitoring human rights in Hungary. Members of the Round Table will include the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, the President of the Equal Treatment Authority, the President of the National Data Protection and Freedom of Information Authority, and delegates from constitutional and civil society organizations invited by the President. Thus there will be representation of organizations representing nationalities, women, specialists in children’s rights, the elderly, those living with disabilities and the general field of individual freedom.

The working group will sit at least once every quarter and will operate as an inter-ministerial body. Ministers of state in the following areas will be represented: Internal Affairs, Defence, Church and Nationality Affairs, Justice, Government Communication, Social Inclusion, Foreign Affairs, European Union Affairs, Employment, Social, Family and Youth Affairs, Health and Education.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)