IOI | Workshop on Human Rights Challenges and the Ombudsmen

An IOI Workshop on “Human rights challenges now: the Ombudsman facing threats” was successfully held by the Office of the Catalan Ombudsman in Barcelona in April 2016.

The workshop brought Ombudsmen from Europe, Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean to one table to discuss the contemporary challenges that human rights are facing and the important role Ombudsman institutions play in this context. In four thematic sessions topical matters such as the ongoing refugee and migration crisis, the growing security dilemma or the issue of Ombudsmen acting under threat, were tackled in more detail (see Spanish Website of the Catalan Ombudsman and link below).

Another significant milestone was achieved during this Barcelona Workshop: IOI President Adv. John R. Walters and the President of the Federation of Ibero-American Ombudsmen (FIO), Prof. José de Faria Costa, signed a Memorandum of Understanding. By signing this Memorandum, both FIO and the IOI recognized that they share similar objectives to strengthen the concept of ombudsmanship and that they encourage existing and new ombudsman institutions in their work of enhancing good governance and protecting and promoting human rights.

Members of the IOI Board of Directors who attended the Barcelona Workshop held an additional meeting on the side-lines of the event to further work on the matter of colleagues who work under difficult circumstances or are openly confronted with reprisals or threats. The IOI is very mindful of such issues and of the necessity to assist members in need.