The Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, was in Parliament for a presencial hearing on the legislative initiatives under appraisal by the Working Group on the legal framework of Professional Associations. The hearing took place at the request of the coordinator of the Working Group, constituted in the scope of the Commission of Labour, Social Security and Inclusion.

L'institution du Médiateur de la Wallonie et de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles a participé à la dernière session de formation organisée par l’Association des Ombudsmans et Médiateur de la Francophonie (AOMF) les 22 et 23 novembre derniers à Rabat.

Cette session, organisée autour des Institutions du Médiateur et de l’Ombudsman, et plus particulièrement sur les processus et les moyens d’intervention de ceux-ci, a été une nouvelle opportunité de rencontrer les médiateurs et ombudsman de la francophonie et des pays du Maghreb.

Notre Institution a envoyé une nouvelle collaboratrice pour la formation ainsi que la responsable Documentation qui a présenté les étapes de préparation et d’élaboration de notre rapport annuel, ainsi que le logiciel et ses nombreux outils utilisés à cette fin.

Les échanges furent riches et source d’inspiration pour le travail actuel et futur.

"Council of Europe member states must urgently address the increasing gap between human rights standards and reality. Strengthening the protection of human rights defenders should be among their top priorities," said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, on Human Rights Day, shortly before attending the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo to show support for human rights defenders.  

“The prize given to Ales Bialiatski, Memorial, and the Center for Civil Liberties who are longstanding partners of my Office is a powerful worldwide recognition of the importance of human rights defenders. It is also an acknowledgement of the universality of their work, which transcends boundaries and divisions. Human rights defenders all across Europe, including Russia and Belarus, are key partners of the Council of Europe as they share our common values and courageously struggle for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in our societies. In the face of increasing pressure on human rights defenders in Europe, I urge Council of Europe member states to step up their efforts to protect and support human rights defenders and publicly acknowledge the importance of their legitimate work.

Attacks, intimidation, harassment, and other forms of reprisal do not belong in Europe in the XXI century and must stop immediately. Instead, member states should take all the necessary political, legal, and practical measures to ensure that human rights defenders effectively enjoy their rights and freedoms not only in theory, but, more importantly, in their daily lives and work.

It is essential to foster an enabling environment for human rights activists, including their effective participation in public affairs and unhindered access to funding.

Human rights defenders' safety and freedoms are democratic imperatives. They need more support."

On 10 December the international community celebrates International Human Rights Day, marking the moment when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Constituting a civilizational milestone in our collective history, the Declaration brought to the legal, social and cultural level the strong idea that all human beings are holders of inalienable rights, regardless of their race, gender, language, religion, political or ideological beliefs, social status or sexual orientation.

For the year 2022 the United Nations has chosen the theme of Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All. By highlighting the protection due to vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, native peoples or migrants, the aim is to reaffirm the universality of the Declaration.

In Portugal, the Ombudsman is the privileged interlocutor of the international institutions that monitor compliance, by States, with the rights enshrined in the Declaration.

At the same time, his activity includes the dissemination of fundamental human rights and their protection, and he is particularly vigilant as regards respect for the rights of the most vulnerable: children, the elderly and people with disabilities, for whom he has dedicated telephone helplines. Find out here how we can help you.