The Office of the Ombudsman and the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation have agreed to extend the students' educational talks initiative to public secondary schools. This decision follows a successful pilot programme conducted in Church secondary schools, which received positive feedback and strong engagement from students and educators alike.

Originally launched last year, the educational talks aim to deepen students' understanding of governance, civic responsibilities, and the role of the Ombudsman in Malta. Designed for students in Years 10, 11, and Sixth Form, the sessions seek to foster a greater awareness of democratic values and good governance among young people.

The talks cover key topics such as the role and functions of the Ombudsman, highlighting how the Ombudsman acts as a mediator between the public and the government to ensure fairness and justice. They include real-life examples demonstrating the positive impact of the Ombudsman's interventions on public administration.

Additionally, the sessions explain the free services provided by the Ombudsman’s Office, detailing the investigation process and the Ombudsman's relationship with Parliament. Emphasis is placed on the relevance of these services to all citizens, including students.

A crucial aspect of the talks is an exploration of effective public administration. Discussions focus on the importance of transparency, accountability, and efficient governance, educating students about their rights to good public administration and how they can contribute to a transparent and accountable public sector.

The agreement to extend the talks to public secondary schools was reached after discussions between the Office of the Ombudsman and the Ministry for Education. Both parties recognise the importance of educating students about civic duties and the mechanisms that uphold democratic principles in Malta.

The Ombudsman's Office is committed to inspiring a new generation equipped to contribute positively to society.

On 29 October 2024, Dr. Ákos Kozma, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary, and Dr. Elisabeth Sándor-Szalay, Deputy Commissioner for the Rights of National Minorities in Hungary, attended the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Nationalities in Hungary. The session focused on Report no. B/7848 on the activities of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary and his deputies in 2023.

Following introductory remarks by the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary and the Deputy Commissioner for the Rights of National Minorities, committee members raised questions and provided observations regarding the report. After receiving and elaborating on the responses, the Committee on Nationalities in Hungary voted in favour of the report detailing the activities of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of Hungary and his deputies in 2023, with a total of 11 votes in support with no votes against and no abstentions either, and thus ruled in favour of supporting the Parliament’s approval of the report. 

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has announced that its Chief Executive, Nigel Ellis, will retire in May 2025.

Mr. Ellis has been Chief Executive for eight years, having been Director of Operations prior to that. Before joining LGSCO he was in charge of investigations at the healthcare regulator and held a variety of roles in the voluntary sector.

Mr. Ellis said:

“I believe the organisation is in a strong position and, along with the ever-present challenges, there are genuinely exciting new opportunities that lie ahead. It has been a great privilege to lead LGSCO, alongside the six Ombudsmen who have been in post during my tenure, and I thank all of those I have worked with.

“There is still much for me to do in the coming months and I look forward to ensuring the organisation continues to be efficient and effective in its role as part of the oversight system for local government and social care.”

Recruitment for the new Chief Executive will begin shortly with an appointment expected to be announced in the new year.

Article date: 08 November 2024

« L'absence de justice pour les journalistes assassinés à travers l'Europe est un signe perturbant des dangers auxquels la presse est confrontée », a déclaré le Commissaire aux droits de l'homme du Conseil de l'Europe, Michael O'Flaherty, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la fin de l'impunité pour les crimes commis contre les journalistes.

« Beaucoup trop de journalistes ont payé le prix ultime pour avoir recherché la vérité : Anna Politkovskaïa, Georgiy Gongadze, Hrant Dink, Daphne Caruana Galizia, Ján Kuciak et Lyra McKee ne sont que quelques-uns de ceux qui ont été réduits au silence dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions. Chaque nom représente une attaque non seulement contre un journaliste, mais aussi contre la démocratie elle-même, car la violence contre les journalistes sape directement les valeurs démocratiques.

La Cour européenne des droits de l'homme a constamment affirmé l'obligation des États de protéger la vie des journalistes et de mener des enquêtes et des poursuites effectives contre ceux qui les menacent. La responsabilité doit s'étendre non seulement aux auteurs de ces crimes, mais aussi à ceux qui orchestrent ces crimes et qui restent trop souvent hors de portée de la justice.

Beaucoup trop d'enquêtes sur des crimes commis contre des journalistes restent inachevées. Ce climat d'impunité enhardit ceux qui cherchent à faire taire la presse. Lorsque les journalistes ne sont pas en sécurité, les violations des droits humains, la corruption et les abus de pouvoir ne sont pas dénoncés, ce qui prive le public d'informations essentielles pour demander des comptes aux dirigeants et permet aux forces antidémocratiques de prospérer.

Il faut inverser cette tendance. Les États membres doivent redoubler d'efforts pour respecter les obligations en matière de droits humains relatives à la liberté de la presse, pour mettre fin à l'impunité des crimes commis contre les journalistes et pour faire en sorte que les journalistes puissent travailler librement et en toute sécurité. »