In June, the national preventive mechanism (NPM) of Slovenia conducted unannounced content-specific visits of four institutions and several residential groups providing education programmes for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural disorders. On several occasions during its previous visits, the NPM had found that the institutions had different rules of behaviour and conduct and procedures for taking educational measures in the event of their violation. Therefore it decided to examine the situation.

Du 03 au 09 septembre 2019, une semaine durant, les collaborateurs de l’institution du Médiateur de la République, ont travaillé avec les experts du bureau de l’Ombudsman de Turquie et ceux du Ministère de la justice sur différents modules. Sept modules ont été dispensés au cours de cet atelier.

Dutch National Ombudsman Reinier Van Zutphen invites to the next Poldershop, which will take place in The Hague on Friday, 1 November 2019. This edition of the Poldershop is about how Ombudsman assess the actions of the government? On what basis do they reach their decisions?

In August 2017, a group of 18 homecare workers hired by the privately-run Ching-Kuan Social Welfare Charity Foundation accused the foundation of unlawfully forcing them to return part of their pay. The foundation was commissioned by Tainan City Government to provide home care services during the period from 2013 to 2015. To safeguard the rights of these workers, the Control Yuan (CY) of Taiwan launched an investigation into the case.

On 26 September 2019, a Baltic-Nordic ombudsman conference "Ensuring social and economic rights is a safeguard of a dignified life" took place at the National Library of Lithuania. At the opening of the conference, the Head of the Seimas Ombudsmen's Office of Lithuania greeted the ombudsmen from the Baltic and Nordic countries, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of Lithuanian Parliament and welcomed the fact that conference discussions on protection and improvement of human rights and freedoms can be held in the Baltic-Nordic framework.

The Office of the Queensland Ombudsman of Australia continues to contribute strongly to fair and accountable public administration in Queensland. The recently released annual report for 2018-19 highlights its role in assessing and investigating complaints. The Office finalised 7,831 complaints and completed 1,255 investigations. Of these, 192 investigations resulted in the rectification of an issue, which is where the Ombudsman recommends an agency change a decision or action as a result of a complaint. 

It is with deep sadness that the IOI has learned that Mr Herman Wuyts, first Federal Ombudsman of Belgium, passed away on 27 September 2019. Mr Wuyts held the position as Regional Vice-President of the IOI’s European Region from 2000-2004. He was an esteemed colleague and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends in this difficult time.

Poor information and inadequate access to legal assistance often prevent defendants in criminal proceedings from full access to justice, as FRA latest report reveals. It points to where Member States should improve information flows and legal representation to uphold defendants’ rights.