Left to Right: The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, Head of Cabinet of the EU Ombudsman, Gundi Gadesmann, the Director General of the Office of the Ombudsman in Ireland, Elaine Cassidy and the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon.
The fourth day of the IOI World Conference, under the theme ‘Act Together for Tomorrow’, organised by the International Ombudsman Institute and hosted by the Ombudsman of the Netherlands in The Hague, focused on Value Dilemmas and inclusiveness in outreach to vulnerable and marginalized groups.
The plenary session commenced with a keynote speech by Emily O’Reilly, European Ombudsman, titled ‘The Art of the Ombudsman: Navigating Strategic Choices and Principles’. She discussed the profound challenges and essential roles of ombuds institutions amidst global crises, highlighting the critical role of these offices in safeguarding democratic values and responding to the erosion of human rights. O’Reilly emphasised the importance of resilience, strategic action, and the preventive role of ombudsmen against the abuse of power, advocating for ombudsmen worldwide to embrace their duties with courage and integrity.
Following the keynote, participants engaged in three breakout sessions discussing the definition of Ombuds Values, challenges for new ombudsmen, and the mandate as a framework or starting point.
Later in the day, a plenary interview featured the Ombudsman of the Netherlands and President of the European Region Board of the IOI, Reinier Van Zutphen, who spoke about inclusiveness and outreach to vulnerable and marginalised groups. He shared insights on how Ombudsman institutions should engage vulnerable people and use data to prioritise outreach efforts.
After the plenary session, Ombudsman Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon and Mr Jurgen Cassar, Head of Communications, participated in a breakout session on ‘Best Practice Paper Outreach to Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups’. Malta contributed significantly to the research leading to this best practice document, which the IOI will publish in autumn 2024.
Mr Paul Borg, Director General, represented the Office of the Ombudsman in a session discussing how ombudsman institutions can contribute to peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.
Left to right: The Omudsman of South Africa, Kholeka Gcaleka; the Ombudsman of Wallonia and of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Marc Bertrand; the Ombudaman of Malta, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon and the Ombudsman of the Brussels Region, Catherine De Bruecker
The Ombudsman with the Ombudsman of the Brussels Region, Catherine De Bruecker
