On Sunday, May 17, we celebrate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. To mark the occasion, Human Rights Ombudsman Dr. Simona Drenik met yesterday with representatives of NGOs working in the field of the information society. The purpose of the meeting was to identify key challenges and explore opportunities for joint action and achieving positive change, while raising awareness of the importance of an inclusive information society.

In this era of accelerated digitalization and the development of the information society, numerous opportunities are emerging, but so are significant challenges in the field of human rights protection. Non-governmental organizations also play an important role in the field of information technology, contributing through their programs to greater digital inclusion, awareness, and education among various population groups. At the meeting with the Ombudsman, these challenges were discussed, including in light of the development of artificial intelligence, which introduces new dimensions and requires consistent respect for individual dignity and fundamental rights and freedoms.

Ombudsman Dr. Drenik Bavdek presented the Ombudsman’s activities in this area to those present and highlighted issues of privacy protection, equal access, discrimination, and freedom of expression, which are becoming increasingly relevant. She highlighted several key issues related to the digitalization of society, among which the following are particularly important:

Equitable access to technology; it must be ensured that digitalization does not create new inequalities, and special attention must be paid to vulnerable groups who lack access to infrastructure or services.

Digital literacy; it is crucial for meeting life’s needs and is thus becoming a basic life skill. Communication with institutions is increasingly taking place electronically (e.g., e-government, online banking, etc.), so the authorities must ensure measures to improve the digital literacy of all residents.

A safe internet; it forms the foundation of trust in digital transformation. It is crucial to empower users (vulnerable groups, consumers, and others) regarding the sharing of personal data, the use of antivirus protection, and caution when using free networks or applications.

Warnings about vulnerability; in the process of digitization, authorities and institutions must not forget about people who are not proficient in using digital tools; it is essential to provide them with alternative forms of access to services in order to prevent discrimination against vulnerable groups in a rapidly digitizing society.

Digital violence; digital tools are increasingly being used for stalking, harassment, intimidation, and attacks on personal integrity; women (public figures), children, and adolescents are particularly at risk. In this regard, it is essential to strengthen education and preventive measures.

During the discussion, NGO representatives addressed numerous challenges and issues in the areas they cover. They emphasized that artificial intelligence must serve people, not the other way around. They also drew attention to the impact of digitalization on culture, unequal access to digital services, discrimination, privacy violations, inaccessibility for people with various disabilities, and issues with calls for proposals that, among other things, are inaccessible to these individuals. In their view, data collection is becoming an increasingly significant problem, as data is increasingly stored in so-called “clouds” managed by large corporations. Meanwhile, hardware in this field is becoming increasingly expensive and systematically discourages individuals from opting for their own data storage solutions. They also see problems with numerous applications that are widely available to citizens but are complex, even inaccessible, since institutions that could have provided relevant input and expertise were not involved in the development of these applications.

In this regard, they highlighted the need for education, more effective inspection oversight, and the strengthening of good governance principles. They also want NGOs to be more involved in public debates and in the legislative processes in this area. They also proposed establishing a single point of contact at the national level—a coordinator—who would be available to assist individuals facing difficulties in finding the appropriate application, accessing these programs, identifying relevant content, dealing with software issues, technical problems, and so on.

NGO representatives also alerted the Ombudsman to systemic issues, highlighting, among other things, the Health Care Digitalization Act, which permits the collection of personal data; privacy protection is also being put to the test. The Ombudsman announced the possibility of filing a request for a constitutional review of this regulation.

In her work, the Ombudsman emphasizes that access to information is one of the fundamental rights of every individual, and that access to information and communication technology forms the foundation for the exercise of other rights; persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable in this regard. Public sector websites must be accessible to all persons, as stipulated by Directive (EU) 2016/2102 on the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile applications, which was transposed into Slovenian law by the Act on the Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 30/2018), and its implementation is supervised by the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

In this regard, the Ombudsman emphasizes the importance of exchanging knowledge and experience between different generations. Younger generations can help older people use digital tools and services; older people, in turn, can contribute to a more balanced understanding of digital society through their experiences. Such intergenerational connectivity reduces the digital divide and strengthens a solidarity-based information society.

At the conclusion, those present agreed to collaborate on certain events and projects and to continue holding such meetings once a year. The meeting with the Ombudsman was attended by representatives of the Network of Non-Governmental Organizations for an Inclusive Information Society, the Institute for Electronic Participation, the Kersnikova Institute, the Lugos Association, the IZRIIS Institute, the Association, the Federation of Pensioners’ Associations, the A11y.si Institute for Digital Accessibility, the NEFIKS Institute, and the Spirit of the Times Association.

On 11 March 2026, Equinet and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission organised the webinar “Using EU Infringement Complaints as a Tool for Equality”, bringing together Equinet members who are legal experts or responsible for monitoring the implementation of EU Directives at the national level – including the Standards for Equality Bodies Directives and the Pay Transparency Directive – to discuss how infringement procedures can be used strategically to strengthen equality enforcement across Europe.

The webinar explored what an infringement complaint is and how the procedure works in practice. Participants discussed how complaints can draw the attention of the European Commission to violations of EU law by Member States and potentially lead to infringement proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union. 

The webinar featured contributions from Thomas Verellen,  Assistant Professor of EU and International Law at Utrecht University, Clíona Kimber, Senior Counsel, Barrister and Litigator and a CEDR accredited Mediator, and Samuel Engblom, Deputy Equality Ombudsman at the Swedish Equality Ombudsman, who shared practical experiences and legal expertise on the role of infringement complaints in addressing structural discrimination and promoting compliance with EU law.  

Using infringement complaints strategically: Key takeaways from the webinar  

An infringement complaint is a strategic public advocacy tool designed to draw the European Commission’s attention to an apparent breach of EU law and encourage Member States to comply with EU equality law. If the Commission considers that a violation exists, it may initiate an infringement procedure under Article 258 TFEU, which can ultimately lead to proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The process is controlled entirely by the Commission, which retains full discretion over whether to pursue the case. The primary objective is therefore to secure compliance with EU law rather than to obtain compensation or resolve an individual dispute. 

The role of Equality Bodies 

The webinar highlighted why strengthening the capacity of Equality Bodies to use EU enforcement mechanisms strategically is both timely and important. In a context where structural discrimination continues to affect many people across Europe, infringement complaints can help reinforce accountability, strengthen fundamental rights protections, and support systemic change. 

The webinar highlighted several key lessons for Equality Bodies considering the use of infringement complaints as a strategic tool for advancing compliance with EU equality law: 

Approach complaints strategically and rigorously 

Prepare infringement complaints with the same level of detail and legal substantiation as formal litigation. 

Emphasise systemic and structural issues 

Complaints are more impactful when they demonstrate broader patterns of non-compliance rather than isolated individual cases. 

Develop a strong comparative legal analysis 

Clearly explain the relationship between EU law obligations and the relevant national legal framework, identifying precisely where gaps or inconsistencies arise. 

Remain actively engaged throughout the process 

Submitting a complaint is only the beginning. Continued follow-up and the provision of additional evidence or clarification can strengthen the case significantly. 

Use infringement complaints as a broader advocacy tool

Even where the European Commission does not proceed to litigation, the process itself can: 

• encourage changes in government behaviour, 

• increase political and public pressure, and 

• support progress towards compliance with EU law. 

Deputy-Ombudsman Susanna Lindroos-Hovinheimo has issued a reprimand to the City of Helsinki for the processing times of information requests, which were too long.

The Deputy-Ombudsman has issued a reprimand to the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division of the City of Helsinki for excessive processing times of information requests and urged the city to bring the processing times of information requests into compliance with the law. The complainant’s information request had taken almost five months to process, which exceeded the maximum processing time laid down in the General Data Protection Regulation.

According to the Deputy-Ombudsman, the city’s conduct was particularly reprehensible because the processing times of information requests have been exceeding the maximum processing times laid down in the Act at least since 2024, and the Ombudsman has stated their unlawfulness several times.

The Deputy-Ombudsman has asked the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division of the City of Helsinki to report by 30 November 2026 what measures it has taken to make the processing times of information requests lawful and to report the average processing times of information requests.

The processing times of information requests have been unlawful for a long time

The processing of information requests in the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division of the City of Helsinki has been severely congested since at least 2024. The processing times have been found illegal in several decisions made by the Ombudsman during 2025.

The complaints assessed by the Parliamentary Ombudsman have concerned information requests under both the Act on the Openness of Government Activities and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

According to the report received by the Deputy-Ombudsman from the City of Helsinki in autumn 2025, the processing times of information requests were mainly between two weeks and three months and, in individual cases, even longer.

The Deputy-Ombudsman stated that although the City of Helsinki has been able to shorten the processing times, the processing times were still mainly too long and, in some matters, considerably longer than the maximum processing time laid down in legislation.

The Deputy-Ombudsman’s decision EOAK/4105/2025 has been published (in Finnish) on the website www.oikeusasiamies.fi.

For further information, please contact Senior Legal Adviser Anne Ilkka, tel. +358 9 432 3346.

On May 25, 2026, the Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, participated in the International Scientific Conference on Law and Humanism: Modern Boundaries of Human Rights Protection in Ustka (Poland).

The Public Defender spoke about the role of human rights in strengthening public institutions and emphasized the importance of integrating human rights standards into the development of the state’s economic, political, legal and administrative directions, which results in social stability.

The Public Defender also spoke about the work of his institution and noted that a human rights-based approach in public administration requires transparency and public participation to ensure that institutions focus on the needs of the most vulnerable. “We carry out strict monitoring of state administrative bodies to ensure that their internal procedures respect the European Convention on Human Rights and the principle of subsidiarity,” the Public Defender stated in his speech.

The conference was organized by the Pomeranian University of Slupsk, the University of Cologne and Tbilisi State University.