World Mental Health Day, observed annually on 10 October, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health, challenge stigma and strengthen efforts to ensure that people can access the support and care they need. Mental health affects every part of society, from families and workplaces to schools, communities and public services. Creating an environment in which people feel able to speak openly and seek help remains an important part of prevention and early intervention.

This year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”, places particular emphasis on recognising the knowledge and experience of persons who have faced mental health challenges first hand. Giving greater attention to lived experience can help shape policy, improve services and strengthen care systems. It can also contribute to reducing stigma and ensuring that mental health services remain person centred, responsive and respectful of the dignity of those who seek support.

From lived experience to prevention, treatment and care

The principles behind this year’s World Mental Health Day have a strong connection with the theme chosen by the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman for its 2026 thematic lecture: “Mental health risks and concerns: strategic goals and best practices for prevention, treatment and care”.

Listening is central to both. The experiences of persons who use mental health services can help institutions understand what works, where difficulties arise and how services can respond better. This is also closely connected to the work of an Ombudsman. Complaints and experiences brought forward by persons provide an important insight into how public services operate in practice and can help identify opportunities for improvement.

The thematic lecture will provide a forum to consider mental health from clinical, policy and societal perspectives. The discussion will address prevention, the development of modern services for severe mental illness, learning from serious incidents, appropriate diagnosis and treatment, workforce wellbeing and the importance of ensuring that mental health is treated with the same seriousness as physical health. These discussions complement the message of World Mental Health Day that effective mental health policy should be informed by professional expertise and by the experiences of the persons whom services are intended to support.

International expertise

The thematic lecture will bring together three prominent speakers from the United Kingdom.

Baroness Professor Clare Gerada DBE is Lead for the NHS Primary Care Gambling Service, a general practitioner and a former President and Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners. She established NHS Practitioner Health, a confidential service supporting doctors and other healthcare professionals experiencing mental health and related difficulties. Her work has focused extensively on primary care, mental health, early intervention and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals.

Dr Adrian James is Medical Director for Mental Health and Neurodiversity at NHS England and served as President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 2020 to 2023. His work has focused on mental health policy, service improvement, workforce wellbeing and equality in healthcare. He has also been a strong advocate for parity of esteem between mental and physical health and for strengthening services for persons with serious mental illness, autism and learning disabilities.

Professor Sir Simon Wessely GBE FRS is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London and a psychiatrist and epidemiologist with extensive experience in psychological medicine and mental health research. His work has covered epidemiology, military health, unexplained symptoms, clinical trials and the ways in which people and populations respond to adversity. His career has also included extensive contributions to mental health policy and interdisciplinary research.

A national discussion in Parliament

The lecture will also include a contribution by Professor Anton Grech, Clinical Chairman of Mental Health Services Malta and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, who will bring a Maltese clinical and service perspective to the discussion. Professor Raymond Galea, Commissioner for Health within the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, will contribute from the perspective of patients’ rights, standards of care and independent oversight.

The thematic lecture will be held on 29 October 2026 in the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives. It will be hosted by the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, who will address the event and participate in the discussion. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Carmelo Abela, will preside over the lecture and will also address those present.

The event has attracted considerable interest. The audience will include Members of Parliament, Permanent Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers, Directors and Heads of Department, senior healthcare professionals, academics, and persons occupying other senior managerial and decision-making positions. This broad representation is expected to contribute to a meaningful discussion on the challenges, priorities and opportunities surrounding mental health policy and care.

World Mental Health Day provides an important reminder that progress in mental health depends on awareness, openness, access to appropriate support and a willingness to listen to lived experience. The thematic lecture later this month will take that discussion further, bringing together professional expertise, public policy, institutional responsibility and the experiences of persons in considering how prevention, treatment and care can continue to develop.

According to the International Labour Organization’s Decent Work Agenda, adopted in 1999, 7 October is marked as World Day for Decent Work, based on the understanding that all four of its components — employment, rights, protection and dialogue — are essential for creating the best prospects for social progress and development.

Among other things, this includes the effective enjoyment of the constitutional right to work, employment without discrimination, regular and adequate pay that enables workers and their families to live in dignity, full respect for social and labour rights, social security and protection in cases of illness, temporary unemployment and retirement, as well as work free from exploitation and workers’ freedom to organise in trade unions.

Unfortunately, many workers face mobbing in the workplace, a form of workplace violence that persists over a period of time and may include exclusion from work processes, attacks on the victim’s reputation, excessive monitoring during work, assigning inappropriate tasks and similar conduct. According to international data, almost one quarter of workers have experienced some form of violence or harassment during their working lives, while women, particularly younger women, are more exposed to workplace harassment.

For years, the Ombudswoman has been warning that the protection of workers against mobbing is still not adequately regulated within the national legal framework and needs to be strengthened. The large number of complaints received by the institution clearly shows that improvements are needed as soon as possible.

The protection of workers’ dignity would also be strengthened by the ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, another long-standing recommendation of the institution. The Convention is important because it is the first international instrument to establish specific and globally applicable standards for preventing and addressing violence and harassment in the world of work, and to define the measures required of states and other relevant stakeholders.

More information on what to do in cases of mobbing at work, how to recognise it and how to protect yourself is available here, while further information on this topic can also be found in the Ombudswoman’s Report.

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, ha participado este viernes en el acto conmemorativo del Día Nacional del Tercer Sector, celebrado en el auditorio de CaixaForum en Madrid. 

Durante su intervención en la inauguración, el Defensor del Pueblo, ha señalado como desafío actual “la convivencia” y ha apuntado que “sin ella no hay calidad democrática, porque la democracia consiste en crear las condiciones de posibilidad sin exclusiones para una convivencia activa”.

Ángel Gabilondo ha puesto en valor el trabajo que realizan las entidades sociales destacando su vinculación “a necesidades concretas, cerca de las personas, con una perspectiva en comunidad”. Además, ha reivindicado “la reflexión, el análisis y las ideas que crean condiciones para una vida digna y un bienestar individual y colectivo sin olvidar a quienes se encuentran indefensos”.

El Defensor del Pueblo ha abogado por “instituciones fuertes, pero también justas. Leyes, pero asimismo conciencia. Derechos, pero a su vez responsabilidad. La dignidad humana no puede depender de intereses políticos pasajeros ni de conveniencias económicas: ha de ser un principio inquebrantable”.

Ángel Gabilono ha hecho, asimismo, un llamamiento a “la responsabilidad individual de cada persona para cooperar en la vida comunitaria, cuidar de los vulnerables, vivir en paz, honrar las diversas culturas y rechazar la violencia. Solo desde este compromiso personal es posible avanzar hacia una sociedad más justa y equitativa”.

En la inauguración han intervenido, además del Defensor del Pueblo, el ministro de Derechos Sociales, Consumo y Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy, el presidente de la Plataforma del Tercer Sector, Luciano Poyato, y el subdirector General de la Fundación La Caixa, Marc Simón.

En 2022, el Consejo de Ministros declaró el 9 de octubre como Día Nacional del Tercer Sector para reconocer la contribución de las entidades y personas que conforman el Tercer Sector en la mejora del bienestar de la ciudadanía, y en especial de las personas más vulnerables y su labor para incrementar la calidad democrática de la sociedad.

Thursday 8 October 2026 is International Ombuds Day. The day occurs every year on the second Thursday in October and is marked around the globe. The day offers an opportunity to raise awareness of the important role of an Ombudsman and its services. The theme of Ombuds Day this year is the ‘impact and value of the Ombudsman’.

The impact of our Office on people’s lives is not just felt by those who bring complaints to us. By carrying out systemic investigations the Ombudsman has brought about improvements in public services that benefit people beyond those who brought complaints to us.

Below is a small selection of the investigations carried out by our office and the positive impact they made to public services for everyone.

We have also produced a short video in conjunction with other Ombudsman Offices in Ireland to mark the occasion. You can watch the video here.

Our Impact: Investigation Reports

In Sickness and In Debt: An investigation into ‘treatment abroad’ schemes administered by the HSE

Published in 2023 the investigation found an unreasonable and inflexible approach by the HSE in administering schemes that fund treatment abroad for healthcare which the State is either unable to provide, or unable to provide in a timely manner in Ireland. For example, in one case a patient who borrowed from family members to pay for the treatment was denied reimbursement.

We made 21 recommendations to improve the administration of the schemes. The HSE accepted all the recommendations and reviewed existing cases, either at our request, or at the request of patients. This resulted in patients who were previously denied reimbursements receiving their full entitlement. In addition patients have now been provided with access to a meaningful appeals process. Read: In Sickness and In Debt

Opportunity Lost: Magdalen Restorative Justice Scheme Investigation

The incarceration of women in the Magdalen laundries and the forced labour to which they were subjected is one of the sorriest episodes in our history. The Ombudsman’s 2017 investigation looked at the administration of the Magdalen Restorative Justice scheme. The report made four key recommendations.

• Eligibility for admission to the Scheme – too narrowly defined

• Application Process - women had to apply for the scheme without being told what the criteria were

• Capacity – lack of assistance for some of the older women who lack capacity to look after their own affairs

• Developing future schemes – guidance should be provided based on learnings from this scheme.

The first three recommendations were accepted. As a consequence of the recommendations, the scheme was re-advertised and 121 additional applications were received by the Department. Because of another recommendation, the Department engaged a Senior Counsel to review 216 disputed cases.

In overall terms, €31.95m was paid to 805 applicants under the scheme.

With the fourth recommendation the Ombudsman engaged with DPER on the development of Guidance on Redress Schemes for Government Departments and Offices. Read: Opportunity Lost

A Good Death: A Reflection on Ombudsman Complaints about End of Life Care in Irish Hospitals

‘A Good Death’ was published in 2014. This report raised a number of thematic issues that the Ombudsman had identified relating to end-of-life care in hospitals. It had been prompted by engagement with the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) and reflected on the lessons that needed to be learned arising from complaints to the Office over the years.

Arising from the report, the HSE set up a Joint HSE/IHF Oversight Group to support the embedding of the Hospice Friendly Hospital Programme across the hospital system. An Investigator from the Office was also a member of the Oversight Group.

A robust network of Hospice Friendly Hospitals now exists involving many of our acute and community hospitals nationwide. Their collective commitment has brought about measurable improvements in the culture of care and organisation regarding dying, death and bereavement in all types of hospitals. Read: A Good Death

Public perceptions of the observance of human rights in the Republic of Moldova indicate a positive trend, although progress varies across different areas. Over the last two years, the most significant improvements have been recorded in the areas of the right to social protection, freedom of conscience, thought and religion, the right to education, and the right to health and medical care.

At the same time, a lower level of respect for human rights is perceived in relation to certain social groups, including people who use drugs/psychoactive substances, LGBTQI+ people, and people deprived of liberty or recently released from detention. In the case of Roma people, a slight deterioration in public perception has been observed compared to the previous study.

These are just some of the findings of the study “Perceptions of Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova. Public Opinion Survey 2025,” launched by the People’s Advocate Office (Ombudsman Institution).

For approximately ten years, the People’s Advocate Office has monitored trends in public perceptions regarding respect for human rights, comparing results across studies conducted in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023.

The 2025 study examines the level of public awareness, perceptions regarding the observance of various rights and the situation of different population groups, the functioning of protection mechanisms, child’s rights, and the situation of displaced persons. For the first time, the survey also addresses the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region through the assessments of experts and practitioners in the area.

People’s Advocate Ceslav Panico stated: “The study results show that, although perceptions regarding the observance of human rights have improved, violations are still perceived as frequent, and certain groups remain particularly vulnerable. These findings should serve as a basis for more effective public policies and concrete measures aimed at strengthening human rights protection in the Republic of Moldova.”

Frequency of Human Rights Violations

One of the study’s key findings is that the perception of frequent human rights violations remains high. 70% of respondents from the general population believe that human rights in the Republic of Moldova are violated frequently, either systematically or fairly often. Nearly one in four respondents believes that violations occur systematically.

At the same time, trend analysis reveals a positive shift in how people assess developments in this area. 24% of respondents believe that respect for human rights has improved, in comparison with 18% in the previous 2023 study. The share of respondents who believe that the situation has worsened decreased from 42% to 31%, while 39% consider that the situation has not changed.

Perceptions of Rights Protection Have Improved Over Time

Viewed over time, the results demonstrate a positive trend in public perceptions regarding the observance of various rights and freedoms. The average level of positive assessment increased from 41% in 2016 to 66% in 2025.

In 2025, the highest levels of perceived respect were recorded for: freedom of movement (80%); right to education (79%); and right to vote (78%)

At the same time, some areas are still viewed as problematic. The right to a fair trial is considered respected to a great or very great extent by 46% of respondents, the right of persons with disabilities to be free from discrimination by 55%, and participation in decision-making processes, including at the local level, as well as the right to physical and psychological integrity, by 56%.

Significant differences also emerge when respondents assess the observance of rights and freedoms among different groups. The highest levels of perceived respect are recorded for: children (73%); women (68%); and displaced persons/refugees (60%)

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the lowest levels of perceived respect are reported for: people who use narcotic drugs / psychoactive substances (29%); sexual minorities (LGBTQI+ persons) (35%); and persons deprived of liberty or recently released (35%). However, trend data also indicate improvement. The average level of positive assessment regarding the rights of different groups increased from 29% in 2018 to 50% in 2025, although progress has not been uniform across all social categories.

Chair of the Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights and Interethnic Relations Grigore Novac emphasized the study’s relevance and the efforts of the People’s Advocates: “This is not an effort to merely present figures, but to show where we stand and where our shortcomings remain in what we call respect for human rights.”

People Consider Themselves Informed, but Practical Barriers to Information Remain

The study shows that 63% of respondents from the general population consider themselves sufficiently informed about human rights, representing a 4-percentage-point increase compared to the previous study. Nevertheless, only about one in five respondents actively sought information about human rights during the last 12 months.

Access to information is affected by several practical barriers. For the general population, the main obstacle is lack of time (34%), followed by lack of trust in information sources (21%); difficulty identifying or finding necessary information (14%); and use of difficult or technical terminology (9%). Almost one in two respondents from both the general population and households with children reported being relatively strongly in agreement with the statement that there is a lack of knowledge about human rights among the population.

At the same time, approximately seven out of ten respondents from the general population believe that information on human rights and available remedies is accessible. However, accessibility is not perceived equally: 85% of young people consider such information accessible, compared to 55% of older persons. There are also differences regarding the education level: 78% of respondents with a higher level of education consider information accessible, compared to 59% of those with lower levels of education.

Where Would People Turn If Their Rights Were Violated?

When asked where they would turn first if their own rights or the rights of a family member were violated, respondents most frequently mentioned: police (50%); local mayoralty (17%); and People’s Advocate (Ombudsman) (9%)

An important finding is the decrease in the share of people who state that they would not contact any institution, from 16% in 2023 to 7% in 2025. This trend provides an important indicator for assessing the accessibility and visibility of existing human rights protection mechanisms.

Adults’ Perceptions of Child’s Rights

Consistent with previous studies, children remain the group whose rights and freedoms are perceived by adults as being the most respected. Seventy-three per cent of respondents, the same share as in 2023, believe that the child’s rights are respected “to a very great extent” or “to a great extent.”

The People’s Advocate for Child’s Rights, Vasile Coroi, highlighted the importance of including children’s perspectives in the study: “The study on perceptions of human rights has traditionally found that the population perceives the child’s rights as the most respected. I believe that the results of surveys administered to adults should be interpreted cautiously, as adults’ positive perceptions of respect for child’s rights do not always reflect the reality experienced by children. In this context, I appreciate including children’s voices in the study.”

Among surveyed parents, 67%, an increase of 5 percentage points compared to the previous study, believe that children’s rights and specific needs are fully or largely ensured in the Republic of Moldova. 

79% consider themselves sufficiently informed about child’s rights, an increase of 5 percentage points compared to the previous study.

Among the rights assessed, the most favorable ratings were given to: right to education (88%); right to health (85%); and right to rest, leisure, and cultural activities (81%). The least positively assessed right is the right of children with disabilities to special care adapted to their specific needs (61%). Compared to the previous study, positive perceptions regarding the fulfillment of children’s rights increased by an average of 4 percentage points. Positive developments were recorded for almost all rights analyzed, the only exception being the right to special care tailored to the necessities of children with disabilities, for which positive perceptions decreased by 3 percentage points.

According to respondents, the most vulnerable children continue to be: children deprived of parental care/orphans (48%); children living in poverty (50%); children from ethnic minority groups and Roma children (51%); and children with disabilities (59%). 

According to 64% of parents, a family’s financial resources directly affect children’s access to healthcare services.

Respondents perceive the right to education as relatively well ensured. The most favorable assessments concern: access to appropriate educational materials and resources (72%); absence of administrative barriers to school enrollment (70%). At the same time, the most significant challenges are the following: provision of school transportation (46%); adjustment of educational processes to the necessities of children with special educational needs or disabilities (41%).

Children’s Perceptions of Child’s Rights

Students of secondary schools and lyceums recognize fundamental rights related to key dimensions of child well-being. Safety is primarily associated with protection provided by family and, particularly among young people aged 15-17, by public institutions, especially the police. However, the respondents report limitations in the exercise of rights, particularly restrictions on freedom of expression at school, academic pressure affecting leisure time, and the presence of violence, especially bullying, as a significant phenomenon in educational settings. Although students generally describe the role of school psychologists appropriately, including counselling, emotional support, conflict mediation, and prevention services, and perceive them as relatively available during school hours, actual use of these services remains limited. Students are more likely to seek support from homeroom teachers, other teachers, or family members, while in serious situations they also identify the opportunity to call Emergency Service 112 as a source of assistance.

Schools are perceived as the primary source of civic education, but effectiveness depends on practical applicability, interactivity, and coherence among schools, families, and online environments. Teaching child’s rights, civic education, discussions about voting, and information about violence are generally perceived as legitimate and appropriate, mainly delivered through the subjects “Education for Society” and “Personal Development”, sometimes with police involvement in these lessons. Nevertheless, respondents point to a gap between exposure to information and its internalization. Lyceum students value lessons more when rights are linked to responsibilities and supported by practical examples. Similarly, information about violence is considered more effective when delivered through interactive methods and youth-friendly media formats.

Participation exists, but formal mechanisms are used selectively, and specialized institutions remain largely unknown. Participation is associated with active involvement and the right to express opinions. Students appreciate student councils and consultation mechanisms, although some young people report limited consultation and predetermined decisions. Awareness of mechanisms for reporting rights violations and violence is moderate and varies by age. Gymnasium students rely mainly on parents and homeroom teachers, while lyceum students tend to seek solutions independently and rarely use formal mechanisms. Specialized institutions such as the Child’s Advocate (Child’s Ombudsman) are largely unknown, and the concept of “Children Human Rights Defenders” is not understood as a formal notion but rather interpreted intuitively.

The Importance of the Study

The significance of the study goes beyond informing the public about perceptions. The data collected can contribute to a better understanding of the situation and help identify areas where interventions are needed.

Head of the Council of Europe Office in Chisinau, Natalia Voutova, emphasized the importance of evidence-based policymaking: “Data are extremely important when developing public policies, and thus, we need data collected objectively and rigorously. This study provides an important basis for understanding where we are in the field of human rights and for identifying areas where action is needed.”

The Romanian version of the Study is available here: https://ombudsman.md/studiu-perceptii-asupra-drepturilor-omului-in-republica-moldova-sondaj-de-opinie-publica-2025/

Through its findings, the Study “Perceptions of Human Rights in the Republic of Moldova” not only captures the situation at a specific point in time, but also enables observation of how public perceptions evolve. The data contribute to identifying vulnerabilities and provide an evidence base for public policies and institutional measures aimed at strengthening the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.

The study was conducted by the CIVIS Center for Analysis and Investigations in Sociology, Political Science and Psychology, with the support of the Council of Europe.