Over the course of the summer, the General Secretariat has invited I.O.I. members to register for a free of charge electronic access to a comparative legal study about European Ombudsman Institutions. So far, already close to fifty accounts have been provided, enabling I.O.I. user to read and download individual chapters of the following publication: Kucsko-Stadlmayer, Gabriele (ed.): "European Ombudsman-Institutions. A comparative legal analysis regarding the multifaceted realisation of an idea", Springer Wien New York, 2008.

On 16 August 2011, the NSW Ombudsman tabled a special report to Parliament titled More than board and lodging: the need for boarding house reform. The report draws on extensive work by the Ombudsman´s office since 2002, which has identified serious concerns about the safety, health, welfare and rights of the residents of licensed boarding houses, and the adequacy of the system that is meant to protect them.

In communications to President Dolores de Cospeda I.O.I. President Beverley Wakem, Secretary General Peter Kostelka and European Regional Vice-President Rafael Ribó have expressed their concern on behalf of the I.O.I. regarding recent developments in Castilla-La Mancha that might lead to the abolition of its Ombudsman institution.

I.O.I. Europe organises a topical workshop on “The defense of rights and good practices in private management of public services - The Role of the Ombudsman” on 21 and 22 November 2011 in Barcelona.

According to Article 21 (2) of the I.O.I. By-laws “The officers of the Institute, except the Secretary General, shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Board from amongst the Directors”. As a consequence officer elections will be held during the Livingstone Board Meeting to appoint the President, Vice-President and Treasurer of the Institute.

Ontario Ombudsman André Marin has announced a systemic investigation into how the province deals with the use of excessive force against inmates by Ontario jail guards, sparked by numerous complaints that such incidents are being covered up or ignored.

"Measures taken against flag-waving pro-Tibetan demonstrators during the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Budapest, had violated the rights of free expression and human dignity, and the prohibition of discrimination"- revealed by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights, Prof. Dr. Máté Szabó.

The I.O.I. General Secretariat is pleased to announce Ms Youngran Kim, Chairperson ACRC, Republic of Korea, and Mr Asad Ashraf Malik, Provincial Ombudsman Sindh, Pakistan, as the two newly elected Directors of the I.O.I. Board.