BackOmbudsmen and Human Rights Commissioners from around the World gathered in Belfast last month to attend a two-day Conference jointly hosted by the Office of the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NISPO) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC).
The Conference ‘Human Rights – A 21st Century Approach to the Work of Ombudsmen’ was supported by the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) and Atlantic Philanthropies, to facilitate the international sharing of the outcomes and learning from a ground breaking project by the two Northern Ireland bodies. The project, to develop a step-by-step manual for the clear application of the rights of the individual in the complaints investigative process, took the NIPSO and NIHRC three years to complete. The manual has recently been endorsed by the UN High Commissioner on Human rights, Prince Zeid.
The two-day conference took place on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th May. On the Wednesday evening, prior to the opening of the conference, a Welcome Dinner for delegates and speakers was hosted in Parliament Buildings Stormont by the Deputy Principal Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly Ms Caitriona Ruane MLA. A Gala Conference Dinner was held in the Offices of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners on Thursday evening. At this event a presentation was made by IOI Director John Walters to Dr Tom Frawley the former Northern Ireland Ombudsman who retired in March 2016, praising him for his significant contribution as former Vice President of the IOI.
Commenting on the success of the Conference Marie Anderson, the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman said: “We are absolutely delighted with the response we have received from speakers and delegates alike following the Conference. It really was our pleasure to welcome so many colleagues from the international Ombudsman and Human Rights communities to Belfast and to be able to share with them the practical application of our Human Rights Based Approach and Manual”.
Les Allamby, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner added: “The endorsement of this project by the United Nations, clearly demonstrated that we have something very important to share with the international community. The Conference provided a very valuable opportunity to present our work to a prestigious and informed audience and to receive constructive feedback from them. A wealth of knowledge and experience was shared across the two days”.
Emily O’Reilly, the European Ombudsman, who was a keynote speaker at the event said: "Ombudsmen throughout the world perform a crucial human rights function. At a time in Europe when our complacency about the strength of fundamental values in many member states is being challenged and where elsewhere in the world the rights of so many are being daily violated, this is a fitting time for the Ombudsman community to reflect on our role and potential."
Source: the Office of the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman
