In order to strengthen a shared culture of fundamental rights within the European Union and the effective enforcement of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, the European Commission initiated a call for proposals to promote information and training activities which improve the knowledge and understanding of the scope and application of the Charter.

On January 29, 2014, the Office of the Ombudsman was hosting a meeting with dr. Asma Jilani Jahangir, a Pakistani lawyer and activist in the field of human rights protection.

Following the resignation of Mr. Alex Brenninkmeijer, a vacancy has occurred on the European Regional Board of the IOI. At the recent meeting of the European Board in Brussels, it was agreed that the preferred option for filling the vacancy left by Mr Brenninkmeijer’s resignation was an electronic ballot. 

In an interview with Radio Australia, Peter Masi, former Ombudsman of Papua New Guinea (PNG), commented on the proposed legislation for an independent Commission of Corruption and welcomed a recent ruling of the PNG Supreme Court on this matter.

During the 2012-2013 financial year a range of agencies authorised and completed controlled operations under the Act in New South Wales.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) published a report underlining how victims of data protection violations, brought on by the widespread use of information and communication technologies, seek redress. The report contains an overview of the legal framework and the procedures people can use in cases of data protection violations and gives examples of actual experiences of victims and those dealing with data protection violations to identify areas for improvement.

The Ombudsman, Peter Tyndall, has today welcomed the steps taken by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to ensure that the Long Term Illness card scheme does not discriminate on the basis of where an applicant lives.

On 20^th January, 2014 Prof. Irena Lipowicz held a meeting with Mr Usen Suleiman, Ambassador-at-Large, responsible for human rights issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.