AORC-IOI | Webinar on values and benefits of being a member

On 25 January 2022, the AORC and the IOI jointly organized a webinar to discuss the importance, value and benefits of being a member of the African Ombudsman and Mediators Association (AOMA) and the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). The event brought together 150 participants from all over the world, who were interested in learning more about the two organizations representing Ombudsman both on the African continent and globally.

Welcoming remarks were extended by Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Public Protector of South Africa and President of AOMA; as well as Dr. Freddy Mnyongani, Academic Leader for Teaching and Learning at the UKZN School of Law, who spoke on behalf Professor Brian McArthur, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head (Acting) of the College of Law and Management Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The webinar was facilitated by the Hon. Florence Kajuju, Ombudsman of Kenya, Secretary General of AOMA and Regional President of IOI Africa.

IOI President Chris Field briefly explained the IOI’s regional structure and its governing body, as well as the main tools and assistance IOI provides to strengthen the capacity of its members. He underlined the importance of working cooperatively with other regional representative bodies such as AOMA and highlighted the IOI’s strong focus on international engagement; in particular its efforts to build stronger working relations with the United Nations. President Field expressed his sincere appreciation to AOMA and AORC for initiating this very relevant and timely seminar and he concluded his speech emphasizing that: “While individual offices may be relatively small, together, we are very large; together, we can, and do, achieve extraordinary results.”

IOI Secretary General Werner Amon thanked AORC for the opportunity to reflect upon what services the IOI offers to Ombudsman around the world and how it can best support them as an organization. He informed participants about the most important tools and services offered by the IOI to its members, such as: a diverse range of free training initiatives; unbureaucratic funding for Ombudsman-related projects through the IOI’s regional subsidies programme; and access to publications and guidance material such as the comparative studies or Best Practice Papers. Secretary General Amon also underlined the importance of an active dialogue with members. “The IOI relies on its members and we also benefit from your active input and feedback,” Mr Amon said. “It is with your help that we can continue to widen and improve the services we offer to our members.”

As one of the longest serving Ombudsman of the African region and a long-standing and very active member of AOMA, Caroline Sokoni, Public Protector of Zambia and Treasurer of the IOI, presented the developments and achievements of AOMA within its strategic planning and discussed the benefits of being a member of this regional Ombudsman network in more detail.

Advocate John Walters, former Ombudsman of Namibia and former President of the IOI, elaborated the importance of belonging to both, AOMA and the IOI. He underlined that both organizations are a network of like-minded persons, which makes a continuous and profitable exchange among colleagues much more effective. With an annual membership fee payment, members have full access to the services offered by the two organization. “With this contribution, members are not only share-holders; they become co-owners,” as Mr Walters so aptly concluded his speech.

With 150 participants from all over the world, this webinar was a successful event, which showed the high demand and interested in learning more about the two organizations representing Ombudsman both at the African continent and globally.

If you were not able to joine the webinar on 25 January, you can re-watch the video recording on YouTube. The speaker contributions are available in the download section further down below.