Dr. Ernő Kállai

Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Ernő KÁLLAI, Deputy-Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, responsible for the Rights of Nationalities

 

 

 

Studies

 

2008                Ph.D. degree in legal theory and legal sociology at the Deák Ferenc Doctoral School of Law and Political Sciences, University of Miskolc

1997 - 2002     Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Law and Political Sciences - lawyer

1994 - 1998     Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Arts - secondary school teacher of history

1990 - 1994     Eszterházy Károly Teacher Training College - teacher specialised in history and music

1994 - 1995     Journalism School - certified journalist

1995                Hungarian Radio - news editor and radio journalist

 

Employment

 

2010                Eszterházy Károly College, Faculty of Teacher Training and Knowledge Technology - head of department

2009                University of Debrecen, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Department of Constitutional Law - guest professor

2008                Corvinus University of Budapest, Post-graduate specialist training programme in equality and minority issues - mentor and guest professor

2007                Parliamentary Commissioner for National and Ethnic Minority Rights

2002 - 2010     Apor Vilmos Catholic College, Institute of Romology and Applied Social Sciences - head of institute, college professor

1998                Hungarian Academy of Sciences Ethnic and National Minority Research Institute - Head of research group on Romology

1999 - 2002     Miskolc University, Department of Sociology, professor

1996 - 1998     member of staff of the Roma Civil Rights Foundation

1988 - 1997     teacher at various educational institutions

 

Scholarships

 

2000 - 2002     Civic Education Project

1997 - 1999     Soros Foundation

1998 - 2002     European Roma Rights Centre

1997 - 1999     Roma Civil Rights Foundation, „Invisible College" for Roma students

 

Public and professional activities

 

2007 -              Member of the Equal Treatment Professional Advisory Board

2002- 2005      Member of the board of trustees of the Autonomy Foundation

1998- 2004      Member of the board of trustees of the Gandhi Public Foundation

 

Membership of professional organisations

 

Hungarian Sociological Society - member of the Presidential Board

Hungarian Academy of Science - member of the Public Body

Hungarian Association of Lawyers

Hungarian Society of Political Sciences

Hungarian Ethnographical Society

 

Awards

 

2006                Award for Minorities

2005                honoured by the National Gypsy Self-Government for excellence in research

 

Main areas of research using empirical data survey in the past years

 

  • Emergence of cultural rights of the minority communities'
  • The new paradigms of handling of ethnic data
  • Roma entrepreneurs in Hungary
  • Research on local Gypsy minority self-governments
  • The past and present of Gypsy musicians
  • The social history of the Hungarian Roma in the 20th century
  • Equal opportunities of Roma in Hungary. Self-governance, positive discrimination, and the role of education in improving the situation of the Roma - theoretical and practical models
  • The theoretical models and practice in Hungary of local Gypsy minority self-governments
  • The cultural autonomy of minorities

Tartalom megjelenítő

null Message of Commissioner for Fundamental Rights on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Message of Commissioner for Fundamental Rights on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Dealing with disability these days does not only mean the implementation of a programme but a continuous and manifold activity that permeates all segments of social coexistence and requires a constructive cooperation of public and civil organisations, said Ombudsman Dr. Ákos Kozma on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, suggesting that the true face of a society will be revealed by how it treats individual capabilities and diversity, as well as how it breaks down the barriers of community engagement.

Some 15% of the global population, i.e., more than one billion people live with some kind of disability, and the international day held on 3 December each year, at UN’s initiative, aims to draw attention to their situation. The past few years have seen an increase in global attention paid to the need for a different approach and the tasks arising from this need, in the interests of people with disabilities. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted on 13 December 2006 meant a critical change in the approach to persons with disabilities, as it declared the principles that guarantee equal dignity, independence, self-determination and equal social inclusion to persons with disabilities.  

By now, the idea that disability is not a personal characteristic feature but a complexity of conditions and structures has become more and more accepted. In addition to lasting physical obstacles, with several other barriers, the hindrance of the person in question from being fully, efficiently and equally involved in society is critical. At the same time, this approach results in such a change in mindsets which acknowledges that people with disabilities may be hindered in certain aspects but they are equal to everybody else, they have the same rights and obligations as the other members of society. Also, it is a key task of society to avert all obstacles that prevent the enforcement of all this.

The protection of the rights of persons with disabilities is given more attention than before, as part of the tasks of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights set out in the CRPD Independent Monitoring Mechanism, as it is one of his key tasks to investigate into the implementation of the requirements set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Hungary, as well as to support the relevant processes. 

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is the only day of the 365 days of the year which directs more focus of attention on persons with disabilities: to their difficulties, challenges and achievements, which may serve as examples for each member of the society. 

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we should pay special attention to those who live with disabilities, as well as the family members, helpers and communities who support them. The real power of society lies in the sense of solidarity, acceptance and ensuring equal opportunities, said the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.