According to the latest report of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), Hungarian authorities must increase efforts to prevent child trafficking.
The report calls on Hungary
- to sensitize and train staff working with children;
- to raise awareness of trafficking and online safety among children;
- to repeal legislation that imposes fines, and even prison sentences for children engaged in prostitution;
- to better identify potential trafficking victims among migrants and asylum seekers;
- to take further efforts to proactively identify victims of trafficking;
- to provide proper assistance for trafficking victims;
- to ensure that the assistance for victims is guaranteed;
- to allow the access of NGOs to enter transit areas;
- to investigate proactively investigations of human trafficking cases;
- to train police officers and prosecutors more; and
- to ensure that victims of trafficking are informed of their right to legal aid.
However, GRETA also notes progress in Hungary, as new support centres for victims of crime have been established, and new provisions that protect witnesses and victims have been introduced as well.
