La Difesa civica incontra i vertici dell'Istituto per l'edilizia sociale e della Ripartizione Edilizia abitativa

Date of article: 08/08/2025

Daily News of: 11/08/2025

Country:  Italy - Autonomous Province of Bolzano

Author: Regional Ombudsman of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano

Article language: it

Confronto tra la Difensora civica Meyer, il direttore generale IPES Palfrader, la direttrice della Ripartizione Alloggi e inquilinato IPES Tschenett e il direttore della Ripartizione provinciale Edilizia abitativa Walder sulla Riforma Abitare 2025 e le domande di cittadine e cittadini.

(da sx.) Stefan Walder, Veronika Meyer, Barbara Tschenett, Nathalie Peri e Wilhelm Palfrader. (Foto: Difesa civica)

La Difensora civica Veronika Meyer e la sua collaboratrice Nathalie Peri hanno recentemente incontrato il direttore generale dell’Istituto per l’edilizia sociale (IPES) Wilhelm Palfrader e la direttrice della Ripartizione Alloggi e inquilinato IPES Barbara Tschenett, nonché Stefan Walderdirettore della Ripartizione Edilizia abitativa dell'amministrazione provinciale, per uno scambio di idee sul tema "Edilizia abitativa in Alto Adige". Temi centrali del confronto sono stati la riforma Abitare 2025 recentemente approvata dal Consiglio provinciale e le varie domande che la Difesa civica riceve in merito all’IPES e all’attività di consulenza attuale e futura.

"Cittadine e cittadini si rivolgono molto frequentemente alla Difesa civica con domande sull'edilizia sovvenzionata e sociale. L'ampia gamma di argomenti in questo ambito include l'attuale sistema di pre-registrazione per le consultazioni sui sussidi per l'alloggio, nonché i requisiti per gli appartamenti dell’IPES, in particolare per le persone con disabilità, la manutenzione degli appartamenti dell’IPES o il livello di rumore lamentato dagli inquilini in alcuni condomini", spiega la Difensora civica Veronika Meyer. “Uno scambio costante tra Difesa civica e l'amministrazione è quindi essenziale e utile al fine di fornire ai cittadini informazioni in modo rapido, competente e comprensibile. Spesso si tratta semplicemente di spiegare alle persone la procedura fornendo informazioni di base, ad esempio per quanto riguarda l'attuale sistema digitale di prenotazione per le consultazioni nel campo dei sussidi per l'alloggio e che il fatto che il calendario possa attualmente essere visualizzato solo per due mesi alla volta è dovuto al motivo che si tratta di una standardizzazione da parte dell'amministrazione pubblica”. 

Durante l'incontro sono state discusse anche le novità più importanti della riforma abitativa 2025. "Al momento, non stiamo ricevendo alcuna richiesta in merito. Tuttavia, sappiamo per esperienza che questo può cambiare molto rapidamente. Pertanto, un continuo trasferimento di conoscenze sullo stato attuale delle cose è importante", sottolinea Veronika Meyer. Secondo la Difensora civica, il fatto che tre dirigenti sia dell'IPES che della Ripartizione Edilizia abitativa abbiano preso parte all'incontro sottolinea l'importanza dell'argomento e l'attenzione dell'amministrazione pubblica verso le esigenze cittadini.

 

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London council failed to review its support for disabled children

Date of article: 06/08/2025

Daily News of: 11/08/2025

Country:  United Kingdom - England

Author: Local Government Ombudsmen for England

Article language: en

Councils should respond to all recommendations made during independent complaints investigations, says the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after it upheld a mother’s complaint about London Borough of Waltham Forest.

The issue is being highlighted after the mother of a disabled child asked the Ombudsman to investigate the way the outer London council responded to her complaint. This was about several issues including failing to meet her child’s social care needs.

As part of the council’s complaint investigation, carried out through the statutory children’s complaints procedure, the investigating officer agreed it was appropriate for Waltham Forest to carry out an independent review of its support for children with disabilities.

The council then failed to mention this agreed outcome when it contacted the mother, or to complete the review, and the mother made her complaint to the Ombudsman.

The report comes after the Ombudsman called for the statutory complaints process for cases involving children to be urgently reviewed following reports against two other local authorities which highlighted failings in how complaints had been handled.

Ms Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

“Once again, I am compelled to report on issues I have found with a local council’s handling of the children’s statutory complaint procedure.

“In this case the council’s independent investigation agreed with the parent that a review of the system of support for children with disabilities should be carried out, but the council has not responded.

“This missed opportunity to look at ways it could improve services can have only exacerbated the frustration felt by the mother, after her complaint was upheld.

“We have previously investigated other complaints the mother has brought to us following the children’s statutory complaints procedure. In those cases, we also found Waltham Forest had either failed to respond to the recommendations, or failed or delayed completing the recommendations made.

“As a result I have concerns about the council’s ability to administer the children’s statutory complaints procedure, monitor its compliance with the actions it has agreed to take and effectively provide appropriate redress or improve practice to prevent future injustice for families in the borough.

“I hope the improvements the council has agreed to undertake as a result of my report will result in better outcomes in future.”

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman remedies injustice and shares learning from investigations to help improve public, and adult social care, services. In this case the council has agreed to apologise to the mother and pay her £500 for the frustration, uncertainty and erosion of trust. It will also write to her to tell her if it will complete an independent review of its system of support for children with disabilities.

The Ombudsman has the power to make recommendations to improve processes for the wider public. In this case the council has agreed to provide training for relevant council officers, and review how it looks at recommendations made through the children’s statutory complaint procedure.

Article date: 06 August 2025

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El Instituto Foral de Bienestar Social de Álava acepta la recomendación del Ararteko sobre el uso de la cita previa en el registro

Date of article: 07/08/2025

Daily News of: 11/08/2025

Country:  Spain - Basque country

Author: Regional Ombudsman of the Basque Country

Article language: es

El Instituto Foral de Bienestar Social (IFBS) de la Diputación Foral de Álava ha comunicado al Ararteko su decisión de modificar el sistema de acceso al registro administrativo para permitir la atención presencial sin necesidad de cita previa. Así, da cumplimiento a la recomendación formulada por esta institución recientemente.

En su resolución, el Ararteko pidió al IFBS que eliminara la obligatoriedad de la cita previa para la mera presentación de solicitudes, escritos o documentación en el registro administrativo, habilitándola únicamente como opción voluntaria. Se insistía, además, en diferenciar entre los trámites generales y aquellos que requieran atención técnica o especializada.

En su respuesta, la Diputación Foral de Álava ha confirmado que, desde este momento, la ciudadanía podrá acceder al servicio de registro con o sin cita previa, dentro del horario ordinario de atención al público. La cita previa se mantiene como opción para quien lo desee, con el fin de mejorar la organización del servicio y reducir tiempos de espera, pero no será un requisito obligatorio para el acceso al registro.

Asimismo, ha comunicado que actualizará la información disponible en la web institucional para reflejar esta nueva operativa y que se garantizará que las personas con mayores dificultades para utilizar medios tecnológicos podrán gestionar sus citas por vía telefónica o presencial, con el apoyo del personal administrativo.

El ente foral también ha precisado que determinados procedimientos, como la solicitud del título de familia numerosa o la valoración de situaciones de dependencia o discapacidad, seguirán gestionándose mediante cita previa, al tratarse de actuaciones que incluyen tanto la entrega de documentación como la resolución del expediente en un único acto. En estos casos, se requiere una intervención técnica individualizada.

El Ararteko valora de forma positiva esta decisión que refuerza la accesibilidad de los servicios públicos y evita que la cita previa actúe como barrera para ejercer el derecho de relación con la administración.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, 7 de agosto de 2025

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IOI Ombudsman News 31/2025

Date of article: 08/08/2025

Daily News of: 11/08/2025

Country:  WORLD

Author: International Ombudsman Institute

Article language: en


 

 


 

Tender for the IOI regional subsidies now open

IOI | Tender for IOI regional subsidies 2025/2026

The IOI Board of Directors decided at their Board meeting held in Rabat in May 2025 to continue the regional subsidy programme for the membership year 2025/2026. Voting members in good standing wishing to apply for regional subsidies can submit project proposals until 30 September 2025.



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Save the Date for the next AORC Webinar

AORC | Save the Date for the AORC-IOI Webinar on Gender-Inclusive Policies

Join the African Ombudsman Research Centre, the research and training arm of the African Ombudsman and Mediators' Association, for their webinar on Gender-Inclusive Policies. This event, organised in partnership with the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), will take place on Tuesday, 26 August 2025 at 10 am (GMT+2). Kindly click here to see the Save-the-Date note and register for the webinar.



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Successful completion of the awareness campaign under the IOI's 2021-2022 Regional Subsidies Programme

PAKISTAN | Successful completion of IOI project under Subsidy 2021-22

Kindly click here to read the progress report on the 4th phase of the Provincial Ombudsman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's awareness raising campaign subsidized by the IOI's Regional Subsidy Programme.



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La vicepresidenta de la NHRC, Yu-ling Wang (cuarta desde la derecha), preside el “Foro de Diálogo Intergeneracional sobre Derechos Humanos en Asia 2025” y posó para una foto con los invitados distinguidos

YUAN DE CONTROL, TAIWÁN | El “Foro de Diálogo Intergeneracional sobre Derechos Humanos en Asia 2025” concluyó con éxito

El 15 de julio de 2025, la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos (por las siglas en inglés, la NHRC) del Yuan de Control y la Fundación de Intercambio Asia-Taiwán organizaron conjuntamente el “Foro de Diálogo Intergeneracional sobre Derechos Humanos en Asia 2025”, presidido por la vicepresidenta de la NHRC, Yu-ling Wang.



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Special report out now

AUSTRALIA | Automation: …when the law is changed but the system isn’t

On 6 August 2025, the Commonwealth Ombudsman released an investigation report into the cancellation of income support payments to welfare recipients involving automatic decisions to cancel income support - without consideration of the job seeker’s circumstances.



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España | El Defensor del Pueblo propone a la Dirección General de Tráfico medidas para proteger a personas a las que se les transfieren fraudulentamente vehículos sin su consentimiento

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, ha dirigido recomendaciones a la Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) para que se proteja de manera real y efectiva a las víctimas de suplantación de identidad, personas a cuyo nombre se transfieren fraudulentamente vehículos sin su consentimiento.



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Ombudsman Sindh and Legal Aid Society sign MoU

PAKISTAN | Ombudsman Sindh and Legal Aid Society join hands to expand access to justice

In a significant step toward enhancing legal empowerment and public grievance redressal, the Office of the Provincial Ombudsman Sindh and the Legal Aid Society entered into a Memorandum of Understanding at a formal ceremony held on 30th July, 2025 at the Ombudsman Sindh Office. The agreement outlines mutual cooperation in key areas such as complaint referral systems, legal assistance for underserved communities, joint public awareness campaigns, and capacity-building programs aimed at strengthening institutional outreach.

 

 



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IOI | Newsletter - Holiday break

Due to a public holiday next Friday, the next issue of the IOI’s weekly newsletter will be published on Friday, 22 August 2025.

 

En raison d'un jour férié vendredi prochain, le prochain numéro de la lettre d'information hebdomadaire de l'IIO sera publié le vendredi 22 août 2025.

 

Debido a un día festivo el próximo viernes, el próximo número del boletín semanal del IIO se publicará el viernes 22 de agosto de 2025.



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Water is Life: Reflecting on the hidden challenges of access

Date of article: 08/08/2025

Daily News of: 11/08/2025

Country:  Malta

Author: National Ombudsman of Malta

Article language: en

On the occasion of World Food Day, Professor Alexiei Dingli delivered a heartfelt message that invited reflection on the often-unseen challenges of water accessibility, both locally and globally. 

In a thought-provoking speech, Prof. Dingli explored how water, a necessity of life, is not always within easy reach for everyone, even in modern societies.

While many enjoy the convenience of turning on a tap without a second thought, others face quiet, daily struggles to access clean water for drinking and basic hygiene. Speaking from experiences observed at the Soup Kitchen OFM in Valletta, Prof. Dingli shared how individuals in vulnerable circumstances often resort to scavenging for plastic containers in order to collect water, a small but meaningful example of how water scarcity can touch lives, even in developed countries.

More than just about hydration, Prof. Dingli’s message emphasised how a lack of access to water also affects one’s dignity, mental well-being, and ability to maintain social inclusion. Challenges such as these, though affecting a minority, remind us of our shared human responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind.

In 2010, the United Nations formally recognised access to clean water and sanitation as a fundamental human right. Yet, as Prof. Dingli noted, the realisation of this right requires not only policy but empathy, awareness, and sustained effort from all sectors of society.

Quoting the Holy Father’s call to move from a “culture of indifference” to a “culture of providence,” Prof. Dingli encouraged governments, businesses, and communities to work together to build a more inclusive and sustainable future — one where water is not just available, but accessible to all.

This message aligns with this year’s World Food Day theme: “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.” It also connects with wider conversations about social justice, public services, and the role of good governance in addressing emerging challenges.

Prof. Dingli will be one of the speakers at the upcoming International Ombudsman Conference hosted by the Office of the Ombudsman on 15–16 October 2025. Held under the theme “Upholding Good Governance in Challenging Times: The Role of the Ombudsman.”

A Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Malta since 2019, Prof. Dingli will participate in the panel discussion “Embracing Technological Innovation: The Ombudsman’s role in the age of digitalisation and artificial intelligence.” 

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Link to the Ombudsman Daily News archives from 2002 to 20 October 2011