Azerbaijani delegation of NGOs develop cooperation with Hungarian civil society organizations

Baku, April 3 (AzerTAc). Visiting Hungary, officials of the Council of State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations under the President of Azerbaijan and heads of NGOs have held several meetings at civil society organizations in Budapest. The Azerbaijani delegation visited the National Institute for Family and Social Policy of Hungary and met its project director Ivett Karvalits who highlighted activities of the Institute. She said it was founded in 2007 by Human Resources Ministry. “The main mission of the organization covers child protection, children in public care, and child abuse and neglect, labor issues, family and woman problems. The Institute`s activities extended to producing guidelines for working with young children, developing curricula for training childcare workers and family day care providers, conducting surveys, evaluating services, promoting the diversification of existing childcare services, introducing new services, and monitoring all forms of childcare for under threes.” The delegation visited the Office of the Hungarian Commissioner for Fundamental Rights. Public affairs coordinator Eve Heizerne Hegedus, who provided an insight into the mission of the organization. She said that in the course of her activities the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights pays special attention to the protection of the rights of children, the interests of future generations, the rights of nationalities living in Hungary, and the rights of the most vulnerable social groups. Hegedus pointed out that the Ombudsman also pays special attention to assisting, protecting and supervising the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Representatives of Azerbaijan`s civil society organizations also held meetings with officials of Hungarian Association for Migrants, Scottish Reforms Center, International Organization for Migration and Minority Rights Group International. During the meetings, the sides stressed the significance of enhancing relations between the NGOs. Head of Azerbaijan`s delegation Farasat Gurbanov highlighted the state policy aimed strengthening activities of the NGOs and civil society in Azerbaijan. Gurbanov also spoke of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its consequences. He noted the necessity of active participation of civil society organizations in ensuring fundamental human rights and freedoms. Gurbanov also stressed the significance of international cooperation and exchange of experience in this regard. During the meetings, Azerbaijani delegates gave detailed information about Azerbaijan`s way of dynamic development. The trip also saw the delegation meet Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to Hungary Vilayet Guliyev. The Ambassador highlighted the Embassy`s activities to protect national interests of Azerbaijan in Hungary, as well as effective development of political, economic, and cultural relations between the two nations. Guliyev said Azerbaijan is regarded as a reliable partner in Europe. The diplomat hailed the Council`s supporting various projects of foreign NGOs in terms of popularizing Azerbaijan`s realities in the world.