Registration for the Conference on “Human Rights - A 21st Century Approach to the work of Ombudsmen”, to be held in Belfast from 25 – 27 May 2016 is now open! The Offices of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission invite you to participate.

Publication from the Ombudswoman of the City of Ghent on the role of local Ombudsmen in the handling of complaints about the local police. What type of complaint about local police is brought to the attention of the local Ombudsman and how is this complementary to the internal procedures of the police for dealing with complaints? Ombudswoman Rita Passemiers, attempts to answer these questions, based on her 18 years’ experience as an Ombudsman.

Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, and Ombudsman Peter Tyndall have both welcomed the Minister for Justice and Equality’s commitment in principle to allowing asylum seekers living in Direct Provision have their complaints independently examined by their respective Offices.

Un informe de la red de defensores de los derechos de los niños (European Netzwork of Ombudspersons for Children, ENOC) alerta de que los niños en tránsito están en grave peligro de sufrir abusos, ser separados de sus progenitores, sufrir enfermedades y morir. El documento recomienda que se dé prioridad a los niños a la hora de reubicar en toda Europa a las 160.000 personas que ha aprobado la CE. El Síndic de Greuges de Catalunya, como miembro del grupo de trabajo, la necesidad de que la Administración aplique el interés superior del niño en relación con la práctica de pruebas de edad a los adolescentes refugiados.

 

Members of the Australasia and Pacific Ombudsman Region (APOR) will be meeting in Melbourne, Australia, on 3 May 2016. The one-day conference is themed “Building Relationships, Meeting Global Challenges”.

Issue 23 of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales’ Casebook (October - December 2015) has been published. The Casebook is a collection of summaries of cases dealt with in the previous quarter.

The Victorian Ombudsman has filed an application seeking a determination by the Supreme Court as to whether she has jurisdiction to investigate a recent referral from the Legislative Council.

According to an investigative report released by Manitoba Ombudsman, Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT) lacked sufficient justification in its initial attempt for an untendered contract to purchase $5 million worth of flood-fighting equipment for First Nation communities in the Interlake.