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Council of Europe Says Gov’t “Child Protection” Referendum Reinforces Stereotypes, Prejudice, Hate

picture of Dunja Mijatovic

“The Hungarian government must stop instrumentalizing and weakening the human rights of LGBTI people,” states the title of an announcement put out by Dunja Mijatović (pictured). The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights said that it was unfortunate that on the day of Hungary’s parliamentary elections there will also be a national referendum initiated by the Hungarian government on so-called “child protection” issues.

Mijatović finds it disappointing that in June 2021, despite international protests, the Hungarian parliament passed a “child protection” law that “wrongly associates homosexuality with pedophilia,” and also “curtails the freedom of expression and education of all Hungarians.”

I am worried that the proposed referendum will entrench stereotypes, prejudice and hate against LGBTI people and therefore have a strong negative impact on their rights, safety and well-being, by putting questions to popular vote that are ambiguous and misleading.

-the human rights commissioner said in the statement.

Mijatović added that it is false to believe that comprehensive sexual education is detrimental to children’s development, but rather, it is essential to prevent the sexual abuse of children and to promote safe and inclusive societies.

I have previously warned that political manipulation of the human rights of LGBTI people is on the rise in Europe and symptomatic of a more general attack on and disregard for human rights. The referendum in Hungary is a striking illustration of this worrying trend.

-closed the statement by Dunja Mijatović.

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Posted in 2022 Elections

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2 Comments

  1. Misi bacsi

    Useful to know that the Fidesz regime is working night and day not only not to help ordinary Hungarians, but rather to club LGBT Hungarians over the head and obscure the regime policies that are crushing many Hungarians.
    Hopefully, many Hungarians are now waking up to the endless use of scapegoats by the Fidesz regime.
    Reminds me of the German pastor, Martin Niemoeller, who too late, realized that not speaking up against mistreatment of others left him in a very lonely and isolated position when the Nazi regime came for him.
    Lets’ hope that ordinary Hungarians are tiring of the regime demonization of others, which is done largely to divert attention from the regime’s massive theft and destruction of rule of law.

    • Steven

      “Lets’ hope that ordinary Hungarians are tiring of the regime demonization of others, which is done largely to divert attention from the regime’s massive theft and destruction of rule of law.”
      Yes marginalizing these groups is very useful for them politically even if it leads to a more dangerous overall environment for the LGBTQI society. When you read about the high rates of suicide of LGBTQI youth in Hungary and around the world, you realize that there are real-world life and death consequences for such policies.

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