Reading time: 3 minutes 
Summary for: Czechia has its first Children’s Ombudsman: Why is the role needed?Czechia has elected its first-ever Children’s Ombudsman, marking the formal launch of a new independent institution tasked with protecting and promoting children’s rights. Lawmakers chose family court judge Martin Beneš in a secret parliamentary vote on Friday.
Beneš received 107 votes in the Chamber of Deputies, comfortably exceeding the 83 needed for election. He defeated Eva Petrová, head of the government’s committee on children’s rights, and lawyer and former legislation minister Michal Šalomoun.
PARTNER ARTICLE
The role was established by law last July, but until now it had been temporarily filled by a deputy of the Public Defender of Rights. Beneš will take office after swearing an oath before the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
What does the Children’s Ombudsman do?
The Children’s Ombudsman is responsible for defending children’s rights both in individual cases and at a systemic level. The office can review complaints from children about public authorities, oversee compliance with rights in children’s facilities, and help protect minors from discrimination.
According to Czech law, the institution is designed to operate independently from the executive branch. It also serves as a channel to bring children’s perspectives into policymaking.
Similar bodies exist in many European countries and are often members of the European Network of Ombudspersons for Children, an international platform that promotes children’s rights in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The creation of such institutions has been encouraged for decades by international organizations, including the United Nations and the Council of Europe, as part of broader efforts to strengthen child protection frameworks.
Why was the role created?
The new office reflects long-standing discussions in Czechia about strengthening institutional safeguards for children’s rights. While the Public Defender of Rights has handled related issues in the past, lawmakers approved a dedicated role to ensure greater focus and visibility.
The office has already received 767 submissions during its first half-year of existence, including 75 sent directly by children. Many cases concerned parental disputes, followed by education-related complaints and issues connected to care and upbringing.
During parliamentary hearings in February, Beneš emphasized the importance of social and legal protection for children.
His appointment also comes at a time of significant legal change in Czechia regarding children’s rights. As of Jan. 1, 2026, all forms of physical punishment and humiliating treatment of children are explicitly prohibited under an amendment to the Civil Code.
The law states that parental responsibility must be exercised without corporal punishment or degrading measures, and applies in all settings, including the home and schools. The aim is primarily to shift social attitudes toward non-violent parenting, while serious or repeated cases of harm may still be addressed by child protection authorities.
What comes next?
The Children’s Ombudsman is elected for a six-year term. Candidates are nominated by the president, the Senate, and the Conference of Rectors, reflecting the office’s intended independence and broad institutional backing.
Supporters say the new institution will help ensure children’s voices are better represented in public policy, while also providing clearer guidance to authorities dealing with child-related cases.
With the election now complete, Czechia joins the majority of European countries that have established a dedicated children’s rights body—formally placing the protection of minors under a focused, independent mandate.
More details about the role of Czechia's Children's Ombudsman, and how you can contact them yourself, can be found here.
