The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) published its new strategic plan for the period 2016 – 2020.

Since Canada passed the Pension Act in 1919 – its first major legislation to support Veterans – every 20 years or so a review of Veterans’ benefits is conducted because Veterans’ needs change. Veterans Ombudsman Guy Parent authored a text on the importance of keeping a laser-like focus on veterans’ outcomes, which was published in The Hill Times on Monday, 21 March 2016.

The Ombudsman, Ms Connie Lau, announced the completion of two direct investigations respectively into: how the Home Affairs Department (HAD) manages the booking and use of facilities of community halls and community centres and whether the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the Buildings Department (BD) have provided due support to owners of old buildings to facilitate their smooth compliance with the Fire Safety Directions issued under the Fire Safety Ordinance.

On behalf of the IOI community, IOI President Walters and IOI Secretary General Kräuter issued a statement of solidarity with Belgium. In this statement the IOI extends its heartfelt condolences to those suffering in the wake of this catastrophe and expresses its solidarity with the Belgian Ombudsman colleagues and the Belgian people.

La Presidenta del Parlamento de Navarra, Ainhoa Aznárez, ha recibido en su despacho oficial a Francisco Javier Enériz Olaechea, Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra, quien le ha hecho entrega formal del Informe anual de la institución que este dirige, correspondiente al ejercicio 2015, que contempla 2.791 actuaciones.

A new report from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales has called for an independent systemic review of out of hours hospital care in Wales.

On the side-lines of the ICC Annual Meeting in Geneva on 22 March 2016 IOI President John Walters and IOI Secretary General Günther Kräuter took the opportunity to meet with Kate Gilmore. Kate Gilmore is the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and therefore at the forefront of mainstreaming human rights on an international level.

La Cámara Nacional Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Nación solicitó a la División de Asuntos Electorales de la Secretaría General de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) que valore la posibilidad de proporcionar cooperación y asistencia en la formulación de medidas tendientes al fortalecimiento de los procesos electorales en Argentina. Ante este pedido, la División Electoral de las Naciones Unidas envió una misión de evaluación de necesidades a la Argentina, compuesta por cuatro expertos y funcionarios internacionales.