Today, on 23 March 2011, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) released its report 'Access to justice in Europe: an overview of challenges and opportunities'.

The vulnerable situation in which migrants find themselves is of extreme measure, particularly, in cases of kidnappings which violate personal dignity and the rights that such dignity implies. This report aims to provide information on the current situation of migrant kidnappings as well as to evaluate the methods of raising awareness and prevention that are in place.

The Mediator of the French Republic, which will replace the Defender of Rights, presented its latest annual report to the President of the Republic 21 March 2011.

On 21 March 2011, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Court of Human Rights launched a jointly produced Handbook on European non-discrimination law, at a seminar for legal practitioners hosted by the Court, in Strasbourg.

According to the draft the future Hungarian constitution will contain new elements for the ombudsman institution which are both symbolic and substantive.

In a joint statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Nils Muiznieks, Chair of the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI); Morten Kjaerum, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA); and Janez Lenarčič, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), strongly condemned manifestations of racism and related intolerance.

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Nina Karpachova took part in the ongoing 16th session of the UN Human Rights Council. On 9 March 2011 the Ombudsman made an oral statement at the Annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child focused on children who live and work in the street.

On 15 March 2011 the African Ombudsman Research Centre of the African Ombudsman and Mediators Association (AOMA) was launched by South African President Jacob Zuma at the University of Kwazulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. Find a full report of I.O.I. Regional Vice-President Adv. John R. Walters here.