The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) presents a new publication analyzing current policies, practices and trends in the area of migration in the fifteen Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which also makes recommendations aimed at overcoming the obstacles faced in promoting free movement in West Africa.

The annual report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) for 2014 examines fundamental rights-related developments in equality and non-discrimination; racism, xenophobia and related intolerance; Roma integration; asylum, borders, immigration and integration; information society, privacy and data protection; the rights of the child; access to justice including rights of crime victims; and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and its use by Member States. The report is available online in English and French.

The Federal Ombudsman’s office has decided complaints filed by 152,000 Pakistanis living abroad over the past two years and at present there is no complaint pending a decision. Moreover, it has been decided that video link facility will be provided to overseas Pakistanis for the hearing of their complaints.

The Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces has published its 2014-2015 Annual Report. This report provides an overview of their activities and operations from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015.

 

On 2 July 2015, the Chief Executive of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Phelim Quinn, and Ombudsman Peter Tyndall signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the Authority and the Office of the Ombudsman.

 

Two decades after the fall of apartheid, the nation’s first female public protector tries to beat back corruption at the highest levels of government.

 

The Human Rights Defender has pointed to the complicated situation of stateless people. Prof. Lipowicz has indicated that currently binding regulations concerning, inter alia, acquiring the refugee status and enabling the legalization of the stay in Poland are not adapted to the problems which the refugees currently face.

The National Preventive Mechanism has published its first ever quarterly bulletin. The publication of the bulletin aims at raising public awareness on activities of the National Preventive Mechanism, human rights situation in closed institutions, latest developments on the international level as to the prevention of torture and other important issues.