L’attività dell’organo di garanzia si conferma un punto di riferimento per i cittadini nei rapporti con la Pubblica amministrazione. Fardelli: «Continueremo a lavorare con indipendenza e spirito di servizio».

Prosegue il rafforzamento del ruolo del Difensore Civico della Regione Lazio quale punto di riferimento per la tutela dei diritti dei cittadini. I dati relativi ai primi sette mesi del 2026 evidenziano un significativo incremento delle istanze presentate all’Istituzione, con una crescita del 121 per cento rispetto allo stesso periodo del 2025.

L’aumento delle richieste conferma una sempre maggiore fiducia dei cittadini nei confronti dell’organismo di garanzia della Regione Lazio, chiamato quotidianamente a svolgere un’attività di ascolto, mediazione e tutela nei rapporti tra cittadini e Pubblica amministrazione.

L’analisi dell’andamento mensile evidenzia una crescita costante nel corso dell’anno: gennaio +136%, febbraio +93%, marzo +133%, aprile +144%, maggio +99%, giugno +44% e luglio +55% rispetto ai corrispondenti mesi del 2025.

«Questi numeri raccontano prima di tutto una storia di fiducia – afferma il Difensore Civico della Regione Lazio, Marino Fardelli –. Dietro ogni istanza c’è una persona, una famiglia, una realtà che si rivolge a noi per trovare ascolto, orientamento e una risposta concreta. La crescita delle richieste dimostra quanto sia importante il ruolo della Difesa Civica come presidio di prossimità, capace di favorire un rapporto più semplice, trasparente ed efficace tra cittadini e Pubblica amministrazione».

L’attività del Difensore Civico si inserisce nell’ambito delle funzioni di garanzia previste dall’ordinamento regionale e mira ad assicurare la tutela dei diritti dei cittadini, promuovendo il buon andamento dell’azione amministrativa, la trasparenza, l’imparzialità e il dialogo tra amministrazioni e utenti.

Nel corso degli ultimi mesi l’Istituzione ha ulteriormente rafforzato la propria presenza sul territorio, consolidando un’attività orientata non solo alla gestione delle singole segnalazioni, ma anche alla diffusione della cultura della legalità amministrativa e della conoscenza degli strumenti di tutela a disposizione dei cittadini.

«Continueremo a operare con indipendenza, competenza e spirito di servizio – prosegue Fardelli – affinché nessun cittadino del Lazio si senta solo davanti alle difficoltà amministrative. Vogliamo essere un punto di riferimento sempre più vicino alle persone, capace di facilitare il dialogo con le amministrazioni e contribuire alla soluzione delle problematiche che ci vengono sottoposte».

L’incremento registrato nei primi sette mesi del 2026 rappresenta un indicatore significativo del crescente riconoscimento del ruolo svolto dal Difensore Civico della Regione Lazio e della fiducia riposta dai cittadini in un’Istituzione gratuita, indipendente e al servizio della collettività, impegnata quotidianamente nella tutela dei diritti e nella promozione di una Pubblica amministrazione sempre più efficiente, trasparente e vicina alle esigenze della comunità regionale.

Keynote speech at "WorldPride Human Rights Conference" in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dear friends,

At the outset I extend my deepest sympathy to the loved ones of the person killed in the attack at Berlin Pride, as well as my solidarity with all those who were injured, and all the participants in that Pride.

I also offer solidarity to communities in those many countries where Pride parades and gatherings have been banned, attacked, or are otherwise unsafe for participants.

Friends, for me, participating in this WorldPride in Amsterdam is deeply personal. It was to this city that I came in 1992 from Ireland, where homosexuality was still criminalised, to figure out my own identity as a gay man.

I remain deeply grateful for the acceptance that I found here.

It is no less personal for me that we meet on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the legalisation in the Netherlands of marriage equality. That act of global leadership began the impetus that allowed me, years later, to marry my own partner in Ireland – who, I should say, I met in Amsterdam.

There is one additional anniversary in my mind today. That is this year’s twentieth anniversary of the Yogyakarta Principles. The Principles serve to map out the application of universal human rights law to the lived realities of LGBTI people. They were drafted by a group of human rights experts from across the world, and I had the honour to coordinate the drafting process.

The Yogyakarta Principles, and the additional elements drafted ten years later, proved to be highly influential at national levels, as well as within the Council of Europe, the United Nations and elsewhere. The Principles remain, for today, an important reference point in standing up for the human rights of everyone, in full respect of their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. They are also a template to assess the overall situation across the world. They allow us to identify astonishing achievements on the one hand, and dreadful gaps and challenges on the other.

What is more, very worryingly, they shine a light on reversals, regression, weakening of human rights protection in many places.

Much has already powerfully been said this morning about these achievements, the gaps and the setbacks. Rather than repeat any of them, please allow me just some observations.

First, in my work across the European continent, I see in country after country how far still that we have to go. On this continent, the challenges are not of the east or west, north or south. They are everywhere. Nowhere is there room for complacency. Even where we had seen deeply impressive legislative or judicial action, these can co-exist alongside deep prejudices in society.

Second, everywhere there is a deep intersectionality at play and every aspect of human wellbeing is impacted

Third, in addressing social prejudice and hatred, do not under any circumstances problematise a whole community. For instance, it is unacceptable to blame migrants, as some have sought to do in the aftermath of the Berlin attack. Europe’s problem of LGBTI-phobia is not imported. It has deep home-grown roots.

Fourth, as you consider how best to engage the challenges, I encourage you to fully employ the international human rights legal system and its national and international protection mechanisms. Here again, the Yogyakarta Principles are a helpful guide.

But why do it?

It can never be over-emphasised that human rights legal claims trigger a duty for states. They are not just requests for fairer treatment. And they trigger an obligation for states to remedy violations and ensure non-recurrence.

Of course, I do appreciate that, for those of you coming from highly oppressive states, this can all sound very theoretical. Nevertheless, experience shows the power and the potential of the human rights legal toolbox to achieve meaningful progress over time.

Fifth and finally, on a daily basis, my work confirms what you already realise. That the pushback against the human rights of LGBTI+ people is part of a wider effort to unravel all that has been achieved since the adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Here, I greatly appreciate the leadership shown by young queer activists. They remind us that we all share a common goal of honouring human dignity, and they are willing to build smart, new alliances towards that goal.

Dear friends, as I wrap up my remarks, I invite you to look around Amsterdam city centre during this week.

What we see is a place of astonishing diversity and a determination to honour and celebrate those differences that unite us as humanity.

This place, created by WorldPride – by you – over the course of these two weeks, in other words, is a microcosm of what we need to see everywhere.

Places where, in the words of the Universal Declaration, everyone is free and equal, in dignity and in rights.

Thank you.

La Unidad de Víctimas del Defensor del Pueblo trabaja actualmente en el análisis de 450 expedientes, de los que 149 ya se encuentran en fase de tramitación, es decir en el final del proceso por el que se reconoce la condición de víctima y se fija la reparación.

Hasta el 31 de julio la Unidad de Víctimas del Defensor del Pueblo ha tenido la ocasión de mantener entrevistas personalizadas con 105 víctimas. Y han inadmitido cuatro casos por estimarse que la solicitud no se corresponde con el objeto de trabajo establecido en el Protocolo, firmado el 30 de marzo de 2026 entre Iglesia, Gobierno y Defensor del Pueblo para reconocimiento y reparación de las víctimas de abusos sexuales en el ámbito de la Iglesia católica.

El Protocolo concreta el funcionamiento del sistema establecido y los plazos previstos. Así, en la cláusula octava 1.2, referente a la fase de evaluación y valoración, se señala que “El Defensor del Pueblo, una vez estudiado el caso y escuchadas las partes involucradas por su Unidad de Víctimas, elaborará en el plazo máximo de tres meses una valoración de reconocimiento o de denegación de la solicitud (…) En el caso de concurrencia de un volumen extraordinario de solicitudes o de la especial complejidad en su valoración podrá acordarse la ampliación del plazo por un periodo adicional de un mes (…)”.

Se detalla, además, en el Protocolo que la reparación podrá ser simbólica o restaurativa, orientada al reconocimiento institucional y al ofrecimiento de herramientas para el acompañamiento o la petición de disculpas. Y económica, por el daño causado y por los gastos registrados en el tratamiento de las posibles secuelas físicas y psicológicas.

La Unidad de Víctimas del Defensor del Pueblo está conformada por profesionales independientes expertos en victimología, psicología, criminología, y en otras disciplinas jurídicas. Comenzó su trabajo el 15 de abril pasado. Y recibe, desde entonces, solicitudes que le remite la Unidad de Tramitación del Ministerio de Presidencia, Justicia y Relaciones con las Cortes.

“Con este proceso se trata de recuperar a la persona y de reparar daños. No es un mero trámite burocrático cosificador sino un procedimiento flexible, personalizado, profesional y humano”, ha venido subrayando Ángel Gabilondo desde el día de la firma del Protocolo.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, published today a memorandum on child poverty in Italy.

The Commissioner appreciates that child poverty is recognised as a serious issue by the Italian authorities and that considerable efforts have been made over the years to address it. However, he observes that measures should be considerably strengthened through a coherent nationwide approach that is human rights based and child centred.

He calls on the authorities at all levels to prioritise the eradication of child poverty in their public expenditure.

The Commissioner observes that structural reforms, coordinated action and sustained funding are required to safeguard the rights of the country’s children.

Children are now the most poverty-stricken age group in Italy, with13,8% of them – roughly 1 in 7 children – living in absolute poverty. This figure has risen in recent years, driven by unadjusted salaries and the mounting cost-of-living, which has particularly affected families.

“To ensure that the next generation can live without fear or want, regardless of the family they are born into or the region they live in, Italy should develop a comprehensive approach that is implemented in a well-coordinated manner, backed by sustained funding,” said Commissioner O'Flaherty.

The child poverty situation in Italy is marked by significant disparities along geographic lines, with poverty particularly concentrated in the south, in the periphery, and in disadvantaged urban areas. Absolute poverty is more prevalent in single parent families and those with three or more children, as well as in households where adults have low levels of education, are from minority background or are foreigners.

Child poverty impacts every aspect of a child’s life and wellbeing, restricting access to health, education, adequate nutrition, housing, and social relations. It is compounded by limited social mobility, which traps disadvantaged groups and perpetuates inequalities across generations.

The Commissioner further observes that efforts must be coherently designed to assist children living in poverty and their families, paying particular attention to the needs of children in situations of specific disadvantage. While welcoming initiatives such as the Assegno Unico e Universale (Single and Universal Allowance) introduced in 2021, he notes that overall, funding for key poverty-alleviation programmes is insufficient and decreasing, including in areas identified as particularly crucial such as educational poverty. In view of the expiration of EU funds linked to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), sustained funding should be ensured for the operation of school and nursery facilities and for initiatives that guarantee free meals for children in need and those that counter school dropouts.

The Commissioner observes that safeguards should be introduced to ensure that children and households living in poverty are not excluded from relevant allowances and services as a result of residency or citizenship requirements, technological or bureaucratic barriers.

Key recommendations

To launch a renewed push against child poverty, the Commissioner encourages Italian authorities at all levels, to:

• Coordinate all child poverty initiatives under a single, human rights-based national plan.
• Introduce legislative measures to define and fund minimum levels of public social services (“Livelli Essenziali delle Prestazioni”, or LEPs) that every region and municipality should provide, to reduce regional disparities.
• Ensure that income-support allowances are sufficient to provide an adequate standard of living and do not exclude people who cannot support themselves, regardless of the household composition.
• Ensure coordination of social services to provide comprehensive care to children, addressing the multiple manifestations of child poverty and eliminating any legal and administrative barriers that may exclude children from accessing adequate housing, nutrition, social assistance and psychological care.
• Secure sustained budgetary allocations to enable the implementation of relevant measures – including after the expiration of EU funds linked to the NRRP – as well as of specific programmes for children living with disadvantages.

The Mediterranean remains one of the world's deadliest sea migration routes. During the first six months of 2026, at least 1,410 people died or went missing while attempting to reach Europe by sea, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Since 2014, more than 35,000 people have lost their lives or gone missing while seeking safety, protection or a better life in Europe. To save migrants in distress at sea, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) deploy search and rescue (SAR) vessels in the Central Mediterranean but continue to face legal and administrative obstacles.

FRA’s latest update of search and rescue operations at sea provides an overview of the administrative and criminal proceedings affecting NGOs engaged in SAR activities: 

• At the end of June 2026, 26 NGO-operated rescue vessels and reconnaissance aircraft were deployed in the Central Mediterranean. 
• Since 2017, national authorities in EU Member States have initiated 105 administrative or criminal proceedings affecting NGO search and rescue operations. Since June 2025, 19 new cases have been opened, all in Italy.
• Many NGOs have faced fines and the temporary detention of their vessels in Italian ports. Port authorities have imposed administrative measures based on strict rules regulating NGO search and rescue activities. In one case, Italian authorities opened a criminal investigation into the captain of a deployed vessel for allegedly aiding and abetting unauthorised immigration.

The update emphasises two pressing fundamental rights issues requiring continued attention:

• Protecting humanitarian search and rescue activities: Member States should ensure that measures to combat migrant smuggling do not criminalise humanitarian assistance or undermine life-saving operations. A clear legal distinction must be maintained between humanitarian assistance and migrant smuggling.
• Strengthening search and rescue efforts and ensuring fundamental rights: Search and rescue capacity at sea needs to increase further to prevent deaths. Rescue operations should fully respect the principle of non-refoulement and ensure that rescued people are disembarked in places where their fundamental rights are protected.

This latest update provides an overview of developments up to 30 June 2026. It includes a map of NGO rescue vessels and reconnaissance aircraft, including those no longer in service. It also provides an overview of ongoing and concluded administrative and criminal proceedings affecting search and rescue organisations. 

As the world marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the continued loss of life in the Mediterranean highlights the need to ensure effective protection pathways and respect for the fundamental rights of people seeking safety.