The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, held an informative session with final year Bachelor of Arts Honours in Journalism students from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology. The visit formed part of the students’ practical learning as part of their module on institutional set up.

Welcoming the students, the Ombudsman stressed the importance of future journalists understanding the role and function of oversight and integrity institutions. He highlighted the strong working relationship between the Office of the Ombudsman and the media and underlined how journalists play a key role in informing the public about the Ombudsman’s work, mission, and contribution to transparency and accountability. He referred to several own initiative investigations that originated from media reporting and led to concrete outcomes and recommendations for redress.

During the session, the Ombudsman explained the mission and legal framework of the Office, guiding students through the Ombudsman Act and its provisions using practical examples. He described how complaints are handled, how investigations are conducted, and how the Office engages with public authorities. The discussion also covered the Ombudsman’s broader role in promoting good governance and upholding the rule of law.

Students participated actively throughout the session and raised questions on a wide range of issues. These included the types of complaints that fall within the Ombudsman’s remit, the protection and promotion of human rights, the Ombudsman’s proposed legislative framework to incorporate human rights within the mandate of the Office, and the reports submitted to Parliament.

The students were accompanied by their lecturer, Dr Natalino Fenech. The visit provided an opportunity for direct engagement and practical insight into the work of the Ombudsman and the role of independent oversight institutions in a democratic society.

Il Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici delle Regioni e delle Province Autonome conferma il proprio ruolo di interlocutore istituzionale privilegiato per la tutela dei diritti dei cittadini e il corretto funzionamento dell’amministrazione pubblica.

Nei giorni scorsi il Dipartimento della Funzione Pubblica – Ispettorato per la Funzione Pubblica ha trasmesso al Coordinamento una nota ufficiale in merito ad alcune questioni interpretative relative alle procedure di accesso civico generalizzato (FOIA), chiedendo una valutazione unitaria e l’eventuale individuazione di prassi comuni da adottare sul territorio nazionale.

Il coinvolgimento diretto del Coordinamento rappresenta un riconoscimento formale del suo ruolo strategico all’interno del sistema istituzionale italiano. Il Coordinamento, infatti, opera da anni per assicurare standard omogenei di tutela, favorire il dialogo tra Difensori Civici regionali e promuovere una coerente applicazione delle norme in materia di trasparenza, partecipazione e protezione dei diritti fondamentali.

“La richiesta di confronto avanzata dalla Funzione Pubblica conferma il valore del nostro lavoro e l’importanza di una rete nazionale capace di garantire uniformità e certezza del diritto ai cittadini”, dichiara Marino Fardelli, Presidente del Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici.
“La difesa civica è oggi un presidio istituzionale irrinunciabile: non solo tutela i diritti, ma contribuisce a migliorare l’efficienza delle amministrazioni e a rafforzare la fiducia tra cittadini e istituzioni”.

Il Coordinamento ha già avviato un gruppo di lavoro dedicato all’approfondimento delle questioni sollevate e, nelle prossime settimane, presenterà alla Funzione Pubblica le proprie valutazioni tecniche e le iniziative utili a garantire un’applicazione uniforme e non formalistica della normativa FOIA.

In parallelo, il Coordinamento prosegue nel proprio impegno a rafforzare il sistema delle garanzie attraverso:
– la definizione di linee guida nazionali;
– la promozione di percorsi di formazione e aggiornamento per gli Uffici dei Difensori Civici;
– iniziative di sensibilizzazione rivolte ai cittadini e alle scuole;
– attività di rappresentanza nei tavoli istituzionali dedicati alla semplificazione amministrativa e alla tutela degli utenti dei servizi pubblici.

Il Coordinamento rinnova la propria disponibilità a collaborare con tutte le istituzioni centrali e territoriali, convinto che una Difesa Civica forte e coesa rappresenti un elemento essenziale per una pubblica amministrazione moderna, trasparente e vicina alle persone.

Nota del Dipartimento della Funzione Pubblica

El Premio de Derechos Humanos Rey de España, que conceden el Defensor del Pueblo y la Universidad de Alcalá, ha recaído en su décima edición en el Museo de la Memoria y Derechos Humanos de Chile (MMDH).

El Premio de Derechos Humanos Rey de España reconoce la labor de las entidades e instituciones, privadas o públicas, de España, Portugal y resto de países iberoamericanos que se distingan en la defensa y promoción de los derechos humanos y los valores democráticos, o que impulsen la investigación y la puesta en práctica de programas de actuación dirigidos a promover estos valores.

Ubicado en Santiago de Chile, el Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos tiene como principal función dar visibilidad a las violaciones sistemáticas de los derechos humanos cometidas por el Estado de Chile entre los años 1973 y 1990.  

El patrimonio de sus archivos contempla testimonios orales y escritos, documentos jurídicos, cartas, relatos, producción literaria, material de prensa escrita, audiovisual y radial, largometrajes, material histórico y fotografías documentales. A través de su labor educativa y su trabajo con comunidades, investigadores, docentes y estudiantes, promueve activamente la enseñanza de los derechos humanos como práctica ciudadana cotidiana, integrando los lenguajes del arte, la investigación, la educación y la tecnología para estimular la reflexión crítica en torno a la dignidad humana y la convivencia democrática.

A la hora de conceder el Premio, el jurado ha valorado “la ingente actividad memorística de esta institución fundada en 2010, como una garantía de futuro para la democracia y los derechos humanos”. 

Asimismo, los miembros del jurado han destacado que, “en el contexto dramático de las dictaduras militares del Cono Sur, ya superadas, este reconocimiento aspira a convertirse en una herramienta y un aval sin retrocesos para la democracia y los derechos humanos en Chile y en el mundo”.

58 candidaturas procedentes de 14 países

Instituido en 2002, el Premio de Derechos Humanos Rey de España tiene una dotación económica de 25.000 euros y una periodicidad bianual. En esta edición se han presentado 58 candidaturas procedentes de 14 países.  

La entrega del Premio la realiza el Rey Felipe VI en un solemne acto que se celebra en la Capilla de San Ildefonso de la Universidad de Alcalá y que tendrá lugar en el mes de mayo.

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, y el rector de la Universidad de Alcalá, José Vicente Saz, han presidido el jurado conformado por el presidente de la Agencia EFE, Miguel Ángel Oliver; el catedrático de Filología Inglesa y exrector de la Universidad de Alcalá, Fernando Galván; el secretario general de la Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (OEI), Mariano Jabonero; la vocal del CGPJ y presidenta del Observatorio contra la Violencia de Género, María Esther Erice; la directora general de Naciones Unidas, Organismos Internacionales y Derechos Humanos del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación, Lucía García; el director de la Real Academia Española (RAE), Santiago Muñoz Machado; el catedrático emérito de Derecho Constitucional de Universidad Autónoma de Madrid y exadjunto primero del Defensor del Pueblo, Antonio Rovira; la presidenta de la Fundación José Saramago, Pilar del Río; el director de la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), Antón Leis; la directora general de la Fundación Ortega-Marañón, Lucía Sala, y la profesora de Victimología de la Universidad del País Vasco y directora del Instituto Vasco de Criminología (IVAC-KREI), Gema Varona. El secretario general del Defensor del Pueblo, José Manuel Saudinós, actuó como secretario del jurado.

En la anterior edición fue premiada la ONG mexicana Colectivo Familiares por Nuestros Desaparecidos de Jalisco (FUNDEJ), cuyo fin es encontrar a todas las personas desaparecidas en ese Estado y formar una red de apoyo, orientación y acompañamiento a los familiares en el proceso de denuncia, búsqueda y localización de personas desaparecidas.

 Más información

https://mmdh.cl/

On Thursday 15 January 2026 Ombudsman Ger Deering and Chair of the County and City Management Association’s Corporate and Emergency Planning Committee and Chief Executive of Meath County Council, Kieran Kehoe launched a new standardised complaints handling policy and procedure for local authorities across Ireland.

Staff from the Ombudsman’s Office have been working with the CCMA to develop the policy which will see a uniform approach to complaint handling across the local authority sector.

The policy sets out a simple process for making and managing complaints, with an emphasis on achieving the best possible outcome between the public and the relevant local authority. Complaints will continue to be managed by each local authority, but the common policy will enable a consistent approach across all local authorities, supporting the resolution of complaints in a timely and fair manner.

Ombudsman Ger Deering said:

“A robust complaints process is an important way for people to hold public services to account. This policy will support a clear and consistent approach for managing and addressing complaints across all local authorities. It will help to strengthen engagement between the public and councils and provide opportunities for learning that lead to better services. I commend the CCMA and the local government sector for their proactive approach to introducing this standardised policy.”

Chair of the CCMA Corporate and Emergency Planning Committee and Chief Executive of Meath County Council Kieran Kehoe said:

“We would like to thank the Ombudsman’s Office for their support in developing this policy. Their insights into the complainants’ perspective were invaluable.”

The Complaint Handling Policy and Procedure template has been circulated to all 31 local authorities and will be implemented by local authorities throughout 2026.

The Local Authority’s Complaint Handling Policy and Procedure is available on the Guidance page on our website.

The New Year has brought good news for foreigners holding a so-called non-dual employee card. If they are registered with the Employment Office, they are now entitled to public health insurance paid by the state. Foreigners with dual employee cards gained this entitlement earlier. The Ombudsman advocated for equal treatment of holders of both types of employee cards.

From January 1, the difference in how health insurance is paid for foreigners registered with the Employment Office has been eliminated. Whether they hold a dual or non-dual employee card, in both cases their health insurance is now covered by the state. The negotiations with the Ministry of Health that led to this change were initiated by Ombudsman Stanislav Křeček.

"The Ministry of Health, and health insurance companies in particular, must treat foreigners seeking employment equally—regardless of the type of employee card they hold. This follows from binding European Union legislation. I appreciate that the Ministry supported my position and quickly negotiated the practical arrangements with the insurance companies,” said Ombudsman Stanislav Křeček.

Referring to cases of foreigners with employee cards who were registered with the Employment Office after losing their jobs, Křeček added: "In accordance with the interpretation of EU law, they received unemployment benefits. However, they were surprised to find that they did not have health insurance. I reviewed the entire situation and concluded that their insurance should be paid for by the state."