UN condemns Hungary in case of sterilized Roma woman

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has condemned Hungary in the case of a Roma (Gypsy) woman sterilized without proper consent in 2001.

According to the Budapest-based European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), the woman, identified only as Ms. S., was asked to sign a consent form while being operated on in connection with a miscarriage at Fehérgyarmat hospital. Because she had not been given complete information about the procedure, and only realized after the operation that she would be unable to give birth again, the episode was found to be in violation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

After working its way through the Hungarian courts - which found for Ms. S. but failed to order compensation - the case was brought by the ERRC and another advocacy group to the CEDAW, which decided that Hungary had violated the convention, and that Ms. S. should be paid compensation. It also said the Hungarian government should review its legislation so that no such cases of sterilization without proper, informed consent take place again. It was the second time that the CEDAW had found Hungary in breach of the convention.

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