This week, ombudspersons and their advisers from 18 countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia convened in Estonia for a two-day training seminar focused on the technological, legal, and ethical dimensions of AI in administrative decisions and ombuds investigations. As AI evolves rapidly, ensuring its alignment with human rights, the rule of law, and democratic values in decision-making processes is becoming increasingly important. This training seminar was financed by the International Ombudsman Institute.

Le commissaire aux langues officielles du Canada, Raymond Théberge, a dévoilé  son rapport Un avenir en commun : regard sur nos communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire le 9 octobre 2024. Cet état des lieux met en lumière la réalité actuelle des communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire, celles-ci étant souvent en première ligne en ce qui a trait aux défis liés aux langues officielles à travers le Canada. 

Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada Raymond Théberge released his report entitled A shared future: A closer look at our official language minority communities on 9 Oktober 2024. The report provides an overview of the current realities of official language minority communities, which are often on the front lines of official language challenges across Canada.

L’ombudsman des contribuables du Canada, Me François Boileau, a publié son rapport annuel, Accès équitable au service, qui a été déposé à la Chambre des communes le 8 octobre 2024 par Mme Iqra Khalid, secrétaire parlementaire de la ministre du Revenu national. Le rapport fournit un aperçu des activités du Bureau de l’ombudsman des contribuables entre le 1er avril 2023 et le 31 mars 2024.

Canada’s Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, Mr. François Boileau, released his annual report, Fair Access to Service, which was tabled on 8 October 2024 in the House of Commons by Ms. Iqra Khalid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue. The report provides an overview of the activities of the Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, ha comparecido el martes, el 15 de octubre de 2024, en el Congreso de los Diputados ante la Comisión Mixta Congreso-Senado de Relaciones con el Defensor del Pueblo para presentar el Informe sobre abusos sexuales en el ámbito de la Iglesia católica y el papel de los poderes públicos. Una respuesta necesaria.

On September 27, the Palácio de Vilalva in Lisbon hosted the conference “Five Decades of Freedom and Justice: Celebrating 50 Years of the Ombudsman and April 25”. The event, organized by the Ombudsman’s Office, marked the fiftieth anniversary of the creation of this institution in Portugal.

A teenage girl suffering ‘intense emotional meltdowns’ had to wait two years – almost six times the target – for mental health treatment. England’s Health Ombudsman is urging Government and NHS leaders to prioritise timely treatment of people experiencing poor mental health and support the NHS workforce to deliver this.

On 30 September 2024, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, at Brdo pri Kranju hosted the fourth President’s Forum, in the forefront of which was the right to healthy a living environment. During the debate, Deputy Ombudsman, Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc, emphasised that violations of human rights in this field are ongoing, since every year the institution receives almost 200 complaints, of which approximately one fifth is valid.

La Defensoría del Pueblo reafirmó su compromiso con la protección de los derechos fundamentales de las personas migrantes, asegurando el acceso de este sector de la población a atención médica gratuita a través del Seguro Integral de Salud. Ello fue posible luego de dos casos ocurridos en Ica y Tarapoto, en los que el punto en común fue que las personas requerían atención médica especializada y no contaban con los recursos ni la documentación necesaria para acceder a estos servicios.