On 20 July 2023, Ombudsman Kwame Addo announced that Reema Patel will be Toronto's first Deputy Ombudsman. Leading a new housing unit at Ombudsman Toronto, Patel will oversee the fairness of the City of Toronto's housing policies and programs. Patel will officially join the Ombudsman Toronto office on July 31, 2023, at which time she will begin the important work of building the housing unit.

On the invitation of Chief Ombudsman of Thailand Mr. Somsak Suwansujarit, the Hon’ble Ombudsman Sindh visited Thailand to attend the IOI Asian Regional Meeting 2023 and International Seminar in Bangkok, Thailand from 9th to 12th July, 2023. This event brought together Ombudsman colleagues of the Asian Region of the IOI.

European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has opened an own-initiative inquiry aimed at clarifying Frontex’s role in search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean sea following the drowning of hundreds of people off the coast of Greece on 14 June 2023. Ms O’Reilly has asked to inspect a wide range of documents concerning Frontex’s responsibilities to rescue those in distress at seas.

Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter submitted a request for a constitutional review of certain provisions of the amendments to the Mandatory Health Insurance Act to the Constitutional Court at the end of June. According to these provisions, some citizens are required to personally visit the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance every three months to maintain their health insurance coverage.

Les hacemos llegar el 80. Reporte Internacional de “Derechos Humanos en Perspectiva Internacional” elaborado por el Programa de Observación y Asistencia para el Fortalecimiento de las Defensorías del Pueblo, que forma parte de la Unidad de Política Institucional de la Defensoría del Pueblo de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (Argentina).

IOI President Chris Field PSM was very pleased to have had the opportunity to make a submission to the Review of Statutory Offices of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, being undertaken by the Honourable Robert A. Fowler.

An invitation from the Chief Ombudsman of Thailand for Western Australian Ombudsman and IOI President, Chris Field PSM, to visit Bangkok and attend the 2023 Asia Region Meeting of the IOI and International Seminar proved a propitious occasion for the two offices to undertake a Bilateral Meeting under the MoU.

As part of his official visit to Thailand, IOI President Chris Field PSM was delighted to be invited to participate in the Australian Embassy Speaker Series. President Field was joined by his friend and colleague, Ombudsman of Thailand, Songsak Saicheua.