Category: Hungary
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Unveiling Injustice – Conference and new reports launched
Today, in collaboration with the Network of Independent Experts-NIE and the KERA Foundation, the Validity Foundation launched two major reports in Sofia, Bulgaria, during an international conference titled “Unveiling Injustice: Deinstitutionalisation and intersectionality in disability rights.” One of the reports is the outcome of a series of pre-unannounced monitoring visits, which we conducted to 14…
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The European Committee of Social Rights requests that Council of Europe Member States introduce proper inclusive education and deinstitutionalisation processes.
At the end of March 2024, the European Committee of Social Rights published its Conclusions 2023 and Findings 2023 and called on Council of Europe Member States to introduce proper inclusive education and deinstitutionalisation processes. The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) published its 2023 Conclusions in respect of the articles of the European Social…
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Topház: Court rules Hungarian state authorities responsible for grave disability rights violations
The Budapest Capital Court today issued a judgment finding three state authorities responsible for multiple, grave violations of the rights of 220 adults and children with disabilities detained in the notorious Topház Social Care Home. Validity first exposed the shocking abuses in 2017, reporting on filthy living conditions, violence, torture and ill-treatment, malnutrition and the…
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Cage Beds, Human Rights, Dignity: Commemorating the Life and Works of Gábor Gombos
In November 2023, Validity and our partners at the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education at the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) published a unique collection of materials commemorating the life, work and thought of Gábor Gombos, a leading figure in the Hungarian and global disability rights movements and survivor of psychiatry. Gombos, who passed…
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Hungary remains responsible for “grave and systematic violations” of disability rights
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD Committee) has recently published its findings concerning Hungary’s progress on implementing recommendations following its findings that the country responsible for grave and systematic violations of the rights of persons with disabilities. The Committee highlighted that Hungary has failed to undertake systematic reforms required…
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Representing Victims of Torture with Disabilities
A key cross-cutting objective for Validity is to contribute to the global push to end all forms of torture and ill-treatment faced by persons with disabilities. In this context, Validity works with partners to represent numerous victims with disabilities in Europe and Africa, with the strategic goals of ending disability-specific forms of torture, enhancing protections…
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New Film: I am the director of my own ‘institution’ | Validity Seasonal Appeal 2022
We are delighted to announce the release of this new film, featuring Validity client István Cservenka as part of Validity’s 2022 seasonal appeal – full film below. Forced to endure decades of institutionalisation simply for having a disability in Hungary, the team at Validity have been proud to support István’s journey to independence following over…
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Joint statement on suspension of the draft Additional Protocol to the Oviedo Convention
Joint statement welcoming the suspension of the adoption of the draft Additional Protocol to the Oviedo Convention We, organisations of persons with disabilities, non-governmental organisations, international and human rights bodies, including national human rights institutions and equality bodies, welcome the decisions taken by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that suspends the…
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Hungary: István is finally free! – As a result of Validity’s efforts, our client regained control over his life
István, our client, is a talented tennis player who successfully competed at the 2018 Special Olympic Games and won a silver medal. But, for almost 40 years, István had been required to live in an institution for persons with disabilities. Although István has never been under guardianship, and he had the right to decide on…
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Hungary: Budapest Court confirms Government must release the names of public guardians on request
Topház Social Care Institution became widely known after Validity revealed the inhumane and horrific treatment of its residents in a 2017 report. 220 residents were subject to torture and ill-treatment in Topház. Children as well as adult residents were put in metal cage beds, routinely chemically and/or physically restrained, were underweight, and physically, mentally and emotionally neglected. Topház is a closed institution and almost all residents are placed under guardianship. Validity made several attempts to get access to victims in…