Judge Martin Beneš to become first Children’s Ombudsman

The first elected public defender of children’s rights in the Czech Republic will be Martin Beneš, a guardianship judge from the town of Most. Members of the Chamber of Deputies selected Beneš in a secret vote today.

The children’s ombudsman is elected by the Chamber of Deputies for a six-year term. The position, tasked with promoting children’s rights in individual cases as well as at the systemic level, was established last July.

The children’s ombudsman is responsible for investigating complaints from children about authorities, overseeing the protection of rights in childcare institutions, protecting children from discrimination, and conveying the views of the youngest generation to other institutions.

During its first six months of operation, the office received 767 submissions, including 75 directly from children. Most people sought help from the children’s ombudsman in connection with parental disputes.