The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has launched the first ever online EU-wide survey to establish an accurate picture of the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people (18 years or older) that will try to capture their experiences.

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights in Hungary is conducting a comprehensive inquiry regarding the phenomena and symptoms related to fundamental rights which are brought about by the current period of economic, social and global crisis.

The Office of Citizen’s Aide/Ombudsman has published its annual report on 2011 containing statistical data regarding the 4,684 opened cases within this period, as well as information on special topics like ‘open-meetings’ and the redesign of Iowa’s mental health service system.

The Pacific Ombudsman Alliance published a new issue of its newsletter including recent news in Vanuatu and an update from the Samoa Ombudsman Office. It also highlights a regional workshop on democratic institutions.

The Albanian People’s Advocate Igli Totozani recently met with LGBT representatives emphasizing on that occasion that the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons (LGBT) are human rights. Albanian public institutions and civil society have the duty to protect and respect their rights.

The Austrian Ombudsman Board (AOB) will take up its new function as National Preventive Mechanism within the OPCAT regime as of 1 July 2012 and is currently taking the necessary preparatory steps. In addition to filling staff vacancies the AOB’s new Human Rights Advisory Board recently convened for the first time.

IOI Treasurer Alan N. Lai and IOI Secretary General Peter Kostelka represented the IOI during an informal consultation workshop hosted jointly by the Jordan Ombudsman Bureau (JOB) and the World Bank in Amman on 3 and 4 April 2012.

The Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia presented its Annual Report 2011. In total the Protector of Citizens acted upon 3.428 complaints, constituting a significant increase compared to 2010. In the reporting period, the Protector of Citizens established 12,130 contacts with citizens.