A European Ombudsman inquiry into Frontex’s role in search and rescue operations has shown that the current rules leave the EU’s Border and Coast Guard Agency unable fully to fulfil its fundamental rights obligations and too reliant on Member States to act when boats carrying migrants are in distress.

BC’s Ombudsperson is pleased government has finally apologized for the detention of Doukhobor children in the 1950s and welcomed the Premier’s commitment to further work with the Doukhobor community on the compensation package.

The Ombudsman has released his second report regarding the sexualized abuse at Hidden Valley Elementary School (HVES), which evaluates the Department of Education’s Safer Schools Action Plan.

The Office of the Ombudsman on 21 February 2024, organized an engagement meeting with media in Malawi to give them an update on systemic investigations it has been doing for the past two years into the implementation of the Affordable Input Program (AIP), whose report will soon be released.

Leonardo Cardoso de Magalhães has been inaugurated as the new Federal Public Defender-General of Brazil, following a democratic selection process involving the confidential votes by all DPU members and formal confirmation by the Parliament. His inauguration took place at the Palácio do Planalto, the official workplace of the President of Brazil, in Brasília. 

El 23 de febrero de 2024, el Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, se reunió en Santa Cruz de Tenerife con el presidente de Canarias, Fernando Clavijo, con quien analizó la situación migratoria en el archipiélago. La consejera de Bienestar Social, Igualdad, Juventud, Infancia y Familia, María Candelaria Delgado, también estuvo presente en la reunión.

A key highlight of the Second International Ombuds Expo, which will take place in Gaborone, Botswana, from 29 July to 2 August 2024, will be a Special Celebration of Pioneers of Ombud, Human Rights and other related Oversight Institutions. Its significance is aptly captured by an old African saying: ‘If we stand tall, it is because we stand on the back of those who came before us’. Registrations for the event are still open.

Habitant en Province de Liège, Mme S. se plaint que depuis quelques semaines son habitation est survolée à basse altitude par des avions cargo. Elle s’inquiète également du développement de l’aéroport, craignant que les nuisances s’accentuent. Le Médiateur interpelle la SOWAER à propos des griefs formulés par Mme S.