The IFSW Human Rights Commission applauds the demonstration by Finnish artist Jani Leinonen is making in Budapest this week that illustrates the violation of the human rights of the homeless in Hungary by the newly elected government. The gap widens between those in power and citizens who exist below the level of income by which people can live. Membership obligations of the EU and the requirements of International treaties and conventions the Hungarian Government has signed up to are ignored.
There is a red carpet before the fake pop-up restaurant that was named as Hunger King. It opened on 11 June and will run for three weeks. People will stand in a queue for 3 weeks to get money. Money will be served in a burger-box. The amount shall be 3,400 HUF that is equal with the daily minimal income in Hungary.
The art performance is a political stand against the criminalization of the Hungarian homeless by the Hungarian government. 50 people were served on the first day, and 20 more on each following day during
the 3 weeks period.
The legal background is as follows:
- It is possible for all future customers to wait in a queue during the night before the shop at a new opening , but
- the same “waiting” is illegal for the homeless according to the recent Hungarian legislation.
The performance is an open and clear message to the Hungarian political leaders who created the discriminating and criminalizing Homeless Act.
The project is funded by Finnish media products and an activist group. Leinonen intends to open an activist centre near the fake restaurant with the aim of empowering and informing people that other kind of social and political systems are possible in civil society other than the current regime in Hungary as well.
The IFSW Human Rights Commission calls upon the social work community around the world to support this initiative as part of our commitment to community development and respect for the dignity and rights of each person as laid out in our Global Agenda