On December 19, 2017, the Québec Ombudsman released an opinion calling for the abolition of any time limit for civil actions in case of sexual assault, violence suffered during childhood, or violence by a spouse or an ex-spouse.

 

Le Protecteur du citoyen du Québec a rendu public, le 19 décembre 2017, un avis demandant l’abolition de toute limite de temps pour les recours civils en cas d’agression sexuelle, de violence subie durant l’enfance ou de violence d’un conjoint ou d’un ex-conjoint.

 

Following the devastating hurricanes that severely affected many islands in the Caribbean region during the month of September of this year, the IOI Executive Committee  approved a one-time € 8000.00 emergency subsidy.  Some of the hardest hit islands in the region include: Antigua & Barbuda, Sint Maarten, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands and Dominica. 

Lack of staff in homes for older persons in long-term care as well as their lack of knowledge on human rights are the main causes of violation of rights in these institutions. The beneficiaries are satisfied with accommodation quality and they consider the staff to be the strongest link in the institutional chain, emphasised Ombudswoman Lora Vidović at the opening of the conference „Human rights have no expiration date – living in homes for older and handicapped“ organised on 8 December at the Elderly home Centar in Zagreb.

Homelessness is increasingly affecting families from areas and professions who previously might never have expected to face problems finding somewhere to live, a new report by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can reveal. The report, “Still No Place Like Home”, shows in 2016-17 one in three complaints received about homelessness services delivered by English authorities came from outside of London.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) published its second thematic report on “Making Complaints Work For Everyone”. The report focuses on the impact of complaints on staff who have been complained. It identifies the causes of negative staff experiences of complaints, and offers a number of resources that can help prevent these difficulties whilst ensuring that the rights of the service user are properly observed.

Perth hosted international and interstate delegates from Ombudsman institutions in the Australasian and Pacific region in November 2017. The 29th Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Region Conference was themed Connections in our Australasian-Pacific Region.

Manitoba Ombudsman has released a report under the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) related to unauthorized access to personal health information in the databases of the Provincial Drug Program (PDP) branch within Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living (MHSAL).