On 10th December 2018 the Gibraltar Public Services celebrated 20 years to the day since the enactment by Parliament of the Public Services Ombudsman Act 1998. This was followed shortly after by the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman in Gibraltar.

 

On 18^th December the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe published a comment on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Paris Principles highlightening the important contribution of NHRIs, especially in the current context of retrogression on human rights. The comment also raises concern about attacks on the independence and efficiency of NHRIs, and articulates a number of recommendations.

 

Signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in the field of ombudsmanship between Thai Ombudsman and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) of Japa.

Le Défenseur des droits, Jacques Toubon, a reçu ce jour, avec satisfaction, aux côtés de Sophie Cluzel, Secrétaire d’Etat aux personnes handicapées, les 20 propositions pour développer l’accès et la participation des enfants et adolescents en situation de handicap aux centres de loisirs.

At the invitation of the Ombudsman of Portugal, Maria Lúcia Amaral, the third meeting of the Network of Ombudsmen, National Commissions for Human Rights and other Human Rights Institutions of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP Human Rights Network) took place on 13 December in Lisbon.

En el Día Internacional de las personas migrantes, que se celebra el 18 de diciembre, el Defensor del Pueblo (e.f.), Francisco Fernández Marugán, quiere insistir en la necesidad de mejorar la primera acogida y asistencia de las personas que llegan a las costas españolas en situación irregular.

New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman, Peter Boshier, has been elected to an important international role following a meeting last month of some 20 regional ombudsmen. From April next year, Mr Boshier will be the Regional President of IOI’s Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Region (APOR). He already serves as one of three APOR Board Directors.

The Ombudsman announces two direct investigations reports on“Social Welfare Department’s Monitoring of Services of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly” and “Government’s Regulation of Proprietary Chinese Medicine”