International Ombudsman Institute

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International Ombudsman InstituteAbbreviation| IOI

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Formation| 1978
Type| International organisation
Purpose| Cooperation of independent Ombudsman institutions
Headquarters| Vienna, Austria

Region served

| Global
Membership| 200+ institutions

Official language

| English, French, Spanish

President

| Vacant

Main organ

| Board of Directors
Website| www.theioi.org

The International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), established in 1978, is the only global organisation for the cooperation of more than 200 independent Ombudsman institutions operating on a local, regional and national level from more than 100 countries worldwide.[1] The Ombudsman of Western Australia,[2] Chris Field, is the current President[3] of the IOI since May 2021. Werner Amon, Chair of the Austrian Ombudsman Board, is the IOI's Secretary General since July 2019.

The role of Ombudsman institutions is to protect the people against the violation of rights, abuse of powers, unfair decisions and maladministration. In this sense, Ombudsman institutions are national human rights institutions. They play an increasingly important role in improving public administration while making the government's actions more open and its administration more accountable to the public.[4]

In its effort to focus on good governance and capacity building, the IOI supports its members in a threefold way: training, research and regional subsidies for projects. The IOI is organised in six regional chapters (Africa, Asia, Australasia & Pacific, Europe, the Caribbean & Latin America and North America) and has three working languages (English, French and Spanish).

The General Secretariat is located in Vienna (Austria) and is run by the Austrian Ombudsman Board (Volksanwaltschaft) since 2009.

## Comparison and relation to national human rights institutions

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Many Ombudsman institutions works as national human rights institution (NHRI), while many works as mediators.[5] In 2020, the General Assembly of United Nations "recognized that the role of Ombudsman and mediator institutions, whether they are national human rights institutions or not, is the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, promotion of good governance and respect for the rule of law".[5] Also in 2020, a report to the Secretary General of UN General Assembly, encouraged "the Ombudsman, mediator and other national human rights institutions to request accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions."[6]

## Presidents

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* Ulf Lundvik [sv], Sweden, 1984
* Bernard Frank, United States, 1985–
* Stephen Owen, Canada, 1990
* Sir John Robertson, New Zealand, 1992–1994
* Vacancy, Argentina[7]
* Marten Oosting [nl], Netherlands, −1999
* Sir Brian Elwood, New Zealand, 1999–2002
* Clare Lewis, 2002–2004
* Bill Angrick, United States, 2004–2010
* Mats Melin [sv], Sweden, President in 2010
* Dame Beverley Wakem, New Zealand, November 2010 – October 2014
* John Walters, Namibia, October 2014 – November 2016[8]
* Peter Tyndall, Ireland, November 2016 – May 2021
* Chris Field, Australia, May 2021 – March 2024

## See also

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* Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) \- coordinates the relationship between national human right institutions and the United Nations human rights system
* National human rights institution – Type of independent state-based institution with the responsibility to broadly protect and promote human rights in a given country

## References

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1. ^ Staff writer (2024). "International Ombudsman Institute (IOI)". UIA Global Civil Society Database. uia.org. Brussels, Belgium: Union of International Associations. Yearbook of International Organizations Online. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
2. ^ "Ombudsman WA Home". www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
3. ^ "Movers & shakers: Australian to lead global ombud body for first time". The Mandarin. 2021-05-27. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
4. ^ "The IOI".
5. ^ a b "United Nations, General Assembly. The role of Ombudsman and mediator institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights, good governance and the rule of law. 30 October 2020".
6. ^ "United Nations General Assembly. The role of the Ombudsman, mediator and other national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights. Report of the Secretary-General" (PDF). 23 July 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
7. ^ Stropparo, P. E. (2023). Pueblo desnudo y público movilizado por el poder: Vacancia del Defensor del Pueblo: algunas transformaciones en la democracia y en la opinión pública en Argentina . Revista Mexicana De Opinión Pública, (35). https://doi.org/10.22201/fcpys.24484911e.2023.35.85516
8. ^ Kambaekwa, Carlos (26 June 2020). "Tales of the legends - The oval ball chasing legal guru. The unknown side of Namibia's Ombudsman Adv. John Walters". New Era.

## External links

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* International Ombudsman Institute

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* IdRef