TATARSTAN         

COMMISSIONER FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN

Saria Saburskaya attended the ceremony of handing over keys to new ambulances to medical personnel

The fleet of healthcare institutions of municipal districts of the republic has replenished with 42 new ambulances, a total of 187 vehicles will be delivered this year.

Efficiency of the work of emergency medical specialists is also largely determined by the technical characteristics of transport, on the timeliness of arrival of which a person’s life often depends.

Azerbaijani Ombudsman proposes tripartite collaboration among Ombudsman, State Migration Service and IOM country office.

The Ombudsman received the Chief of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission to Azerbaijan Mr. Vladimir Giorgiyev.

During the meeting, the Ombudsman gave broad information about the activity in protection of migrants’ rights, including monitoring in capacity of the NHRI and national preventive mechanism.

The parties outlined a range of views on future collaboration in terms of protection of the rights of migrants, including illegal migrants covering the frame of Azerbaijan’s Strategy for Managing International Migration for 2019-2023, National Migration Strategy of Azerbaijan for 2019-2024, also the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

Mr. V. Giorgiyev, spoke about recent IOM projects, carried out in Azerbaijan, which focused on providing law firms in regions with free legal consultation relevant to the concerned issue.

The Ombudsman proposed to advance the tripartite collaboration among Ombudsman, State Migration Service and IOM country office, by involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs), organizing of joint capacity building seminars for the Ombudsman’s and state bodies’ staff, NGOs, communities and migrants themselves, in urban, rural areas and border checkpoints.

Furthermore, the Ombudsman recommended conducting joint surveys, analyzing national and international legislation to identify the relevant shortages existed, preparing educational materials on the migration processes for the staff of the relevant facilities, aliens and stateless persons and holding joint events for them.

At the end of the meeting, V. Georgiyev thanked the Commissioner for such a fruitful exchange of views and recommendations.

Public awareness campaign on ICPD 25 Summit by Azerbaijani Ombudsman

The adoption of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action in Egypt in 1994 created new vision and values for the sustainable development that take place in 2030 Agenda. This year, the ICPD 25 Summit will be held in Nairobi in November. With regard to the ICPD 25 Summit Azerbaijani Ombudsman organized public awareness campaign on Cairo+25 in the country. So far many regional public awareness events were organized jointly with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the regions covering 35 cities and rayons of the country. The state officials, the representatives of the NGOs and different communities took part at these events

During the events the issues of status and further improvement of the situation in the country by taking into account National Action Program and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were discussed.

The Ombudsman gave information about United Nations Development Programme and its main activities on increasing awareness of the world population on equality, health, poverty, human rights and other important issues.

At the events the authorized persons from each rayon interactively shared their activities in the frames of Cairo+25 agenda for raising the welfare of population.

In the end of the events the participants were presented publications with the main purposes and mission of the Cairo Conference and a booklet on SDGs.

Preparatory campaign for “Cairo+25” Conference launched

Preparatory campaign for the forthcoming Cairo+25 Conference to be held in Nairobi, Kenya launched by the initiative of the Ombudsman in the country. In this regard, the Ombudsman has organized regional conferences in Lankaran, Sheki, Ganja and Guba districts, by involving surrounding 35 cities and rayons, jointly with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

During the meetings the Ombudsman, UNFPA country representative, Members of Parliament, representatives of executive power authorities, of education and healthcare departments made presentations regarding Cairo+25 Conference. The conferences were also attended by the representatives from NGOs, mass media, as well as communities, active women, entrepreneurs and youth.

The Ombudsman gave information about the history and the aim of World Population Day – 11 July, which was established by the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, also on purpose, mission and priorities of the Cairo Conference on Population and Development organized in 1994 and of Cairo+5 Conference held in 1999, in Hague.

It was noted that the Action Program of the Cairo Conference brought forward demographical problems, ensuring gender equality, women’s empowerment, elimination of violence against women, family issues, reproductive health and family planning, maternal and child mortality, educational and health rights, prevention of poverty, problems of all population groups, including children, youth, elderly.

The Ombudsman mentioned successful steps taken towards demographic development, developing women entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized business, involving them in employment and self-employment programs supported by the government, measures taken for ensuring accessibility of quality healthcare services for population, regular free of charge medical checkups on reproductive health and family planning, vaccination of children, prophylactic measures in protection of population health, as well as community-based services on these issues.

During the meetings, the Ombudsman’s profound work in promoting and monitoring the situation in this field, ensuring human rights of different groups of population was highlighted.

The information about the situation on implementation of the population and development priorities have been presented and discussed by the representatives of different regions.

Publications consisting of main purposes and mission of the Cairo Conference and booklets on SDGs were disseminated among participants.

Ombudsman Institution of Azerbaijan closely cooperates with National Human Rights Commission of Korea

Azerbaijani Ombudsman closely cooperates with National Human Rights Commission of Korea and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for capacity building of the staff. This year, for the second time one of the staff members of the Ombudsman Institution participated in “Capacity Building for Human Rights Policy” training program jointly organized by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) on 4-17 July 2019, in Seul and Seongnam, South Korea.

16 representatives from National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Human rights divisions of executive bodies of seven countries joined the training program. Participants got acquainted with the history of the Republic of Korea, as well as with several institutions for the purpose of strengthening human rights policy.

The representative of the Ombudsman visited the NHRCK and got acquainted with its work. He also gave information to their staff and other participants of the event about the Azerbaijani Ombudsman’s activities as a NHRI such as ensuring human rights of different groups of the population, the right of access to information, business and human rights, relations with public and civil society, legal education, scientific-analytical work, cooperation with international organizations and national preventive mechanism against torture as a National Preventive Mechanism.

In the end of the visit the representative of the Ombudsman received diploma for successfully completing the training.

Ombudsman received the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights

The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Elmira Suleymanova received the delegation headed by Dunja Mijatović, the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights.

In the meeting, complex measures implemented after Azerbaijan became CoE member, its effective bilateral cooperation with the CoE and joint projects were discussed.

E.Suleymanova spoke about CoE/EU Twinning projects on strengthening capacities of Ombudsman, especially the one which lasted for 24 months.

The Ombudsman spoke comprehensively about her NPM activity, informed about 692 convicts who have been released as a result of her motions submitted to the Commission on Pardoning Issues every month, also informed about monitoring the implementation of the Law on Access to Information by the Ombudsman.

The information about practical seminars for media representatives in collaboration with the UN OHCHR, involvement of the Ombudsman Institution to the CoE Project on “Gender equality and media freedom in Azerbaijan”, evaluation of gender-related activity of the Ombudsman as a good practice by GANHRI was provided.

The Ombudsman gave information about awareness raising events held in Police and Justice Academies and in the Training-Education Center of Public Prosecutor’s Office, provision of “Human Rights” and “Introduction to Gender” subjects in the Law faculty of Baku State University, also about Hierarchic Education on Child Rights project realized jointly with the Ministry of Education.

The Ombudsman told about 700 proposals of the Ombudsman addressed to the government and state bodies, also proposals made to the country Parliament on ratification of the CoE Lanzarote Convention, adoption of the Law on Protection of Children against Corporal Punishment, also numerous requests addressed to the Constitutional Court.

E.Suleymanova broadly informed the guests on the activity regarding refugees and IDPs and asked the CoE Commissioner for mobilization of all international mechanisms by the CoE to support and accelerate relevant concrete measures for the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with just peace way.

While talking about Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, held hostage by the Military Forces of Armenia, E.Suleymanova said that she applied to the President of ICRC and to the head of ICRC Country Delegation on supporting their return and treatment them in line with international legal norms and discussed this matter with its Vice-president Christine Beerli in Geneva Headquarters.

The Ombudsman also made mention of the appeal addressed to the head of ICRC Country Delegation on March 2019 on asking support for returning of Elvin Ibrahimov, who was taken hostage by Armenian military.

At the end, Ms.Mijatović presented several CoE print materials on human rights, extended thanks for warm welcome, broad information about the activity of the Office and detailed answers for her questions.

HONG KONG  

 OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN, HONG KONG
Ombudsman probes Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s monitoring of outsourced street cleansing services and Government’s management of public toilets

   The Ombudsman, Ms Winnie Chiu, today (15 May) announced two direct investigations to examine: (1) the monitoring of outsourced street cleansing services by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD); and (2) the Government’s management of public toilets.

Street cleansing services are provided by the FEHD via contractors hired through a tendering mechanism (“outsourced contractors”). There are public views that the “lowest bid wins” principle adopted throughout the years in tendering exercises for street cleansing services has led to poor services, which have come under frequent criticism. Moreover, some people consider the FEHD’s monitoring of the performance of outsourced contractors inadequate, that piles of rubbish can often be seen on streets, and that cleansing services at environmental hygiene black spots still need strengthening.

As regards the management of public toilets, about 800 public toilets in the territory are under the FEHD’s management. Their daily cleansing and minor repairs are taken up by the department’s outsourced contractors. Repairs and maintenance works of larger scales are normally referred to the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) for follow-up. Meanwhile, the FEHD makes recommendations to the ArchSD every year to renovate certain public toilets, taking into account the maintenance conditions, usage rates and locations (whether a toilet is located near a tourist attraction) of each public toilet. Nevertheless, there are media reports from time to time that some public toilets have poor hygiene conditions or are dilapidated, and damaged facilities often take a long time to repair. These situations have not only caused inconvenience to the public but also affected tourists’ impressions of Hong Kong.
Ms Chiu said, “The cleanliness of streets and the hygiene conditions of public toilets are closely related to our daily life. They also have impacts on the reputation of Hong Kong as a world city. We are initiating these two direct investigations to examine the Government’s mechanisms and practices with regard to the monitoring of outsourced street cleansing services and the management of public toilets, with a view to making recommendations to the Government for improvement where necessary.”
The Ombudsman now invites members of the public to send information and their views on the above two topics in writing to the Office of The Ombudsman by 16 June, 2019:

The delegation of the CoE was received at the Ombudsman Office

A meeting was held at the Ombudsman Office of Azerbaijani Ombudsman with the delegation of the Council of Europe headed by Naomi Trewinnard, senior project officer on “End Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse @ Europe”, in the frame of fact finding visit to Azerbaijan.
Aim of the meeting was to discuss the legislation, policy and practice in Azerbaijan on abuse and exploitation of children through internet, activity of the Ombudsman, to assess the support opportunities about conducted analysis and research.
The head of the Ombudsman Office informed the guests about the Commissioner’s broad activity in protecting and promoting children’s rights, cooperation with UNICEF and UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, raising awareness of children, parents and persons working with them, child fights month-long campaign, “916” hotline service.

It was noted that adoption of Law on Protecting Children from Harmful Information was proposed in the Commissioner’s annual reports and was adopted.

Furthermore, the Ombudsman recommended ratification of the Lanzarote Convention on the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of the Council of Europe signed by the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Moreover, Law on Protection of Children against Corporal Punishment was developed jointly with the UNICEF experts, submitted to the parliament.

Effective activity of the institution within ENOC and ENYA, film-projects prepared by the children themselves against violence and mental health were also highlighted.

XVI Baku International Conference of Ombudsmen was held

The next Baku International Conference of Ombudsmen was held on “Role of Ombudsmen in Achieving Just Peace and Sustainable Development Goals” by the Ombudsman Institution of Azerbaijan with support of the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO on 18-19 June 2019.
The representatives of the country state bodies, civil societies, mass media as well the Ombudsmen of different countries and the staff members took part at the Conference.
The Ombudsman of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the chief Ombudsman of Turkey, Serbian Ombudsman, Counsellor to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation and the Ombudsmen of Tatarstan Republic, Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan Republic of Russian Federation, Deputy Ombudsman of Romania, Deputy Public Defender of Georgia made speeches on certain topics and shared the information about their practices in their countries during the conference.
The participants of the conference made speeches on just peace–guarantee to achieve SDGs, partnership for sustainable development and protection of human and civil rights, protection the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, The role of Ombudsman in achieving the SDGs, Sustainable social provision of refugees and IDPs and etc. were
In the opening of the conference Azerbaijani Ombudsman gave information about the successful steps taken in economic, social spheres as well as in protection and promotion of human rights of different groups of population in the country.
It was also mentioned ombudsman’s contribution to achieve peace and SDGs. The prime minister of the country noted that Azerbaijan effectively implements the SDGs. The First Voluntary Review has been submitted to the UN in 2017 and the second will be soon presented to the UN.

The 22nd Meeting of Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman 

The 22nd Meeting of Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman (FPO) was held on 21st June, 2019 at PC Hotel, Bhurban Murree, which was chaired by the Hon’ble Wafaqi Mohtasib, Mr. Tahir Shahbaz, and coordinated by Mr. Abdul Khaliq, Secretary FPO.

The following six items/Agenda was discussed:-

1. Opening remarks of the Chair

2. updated position of responses on Article 7 (Voting Members) of the Statutes of OICOA, with respect to position taken by Pakistan.

3. Election strategy for the Board of Directors of OIC Ombudman Association(OICOA)

4. Permission for International Conference and Workshops(Proposal by Provincial Mohtasib Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

5. Matters related with Protection Against Harrassment of Women at the Workplace Punjab.

6. Any other items, which the Chair or any member of the Forum may like to discuss.

The meeting was commenced with the recitation from the Holy Qur’an. Mr. Tahir Shahbaz welcomed the participants and apprised them on the purpose of the Meeting. Ms. Rakhshanda Naz have recently joined as Provincial Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace, KPK and Mr. Kamran Shahzad as Federal Ombudsman Banking. The Chair greeted them for joining the Forum and hoped their presence would further strengthen the Ombudsmanship in Pakistan.

The Secretary of the Forum apprised the Hon’ble Members on the background of the Agenda Item No. II. The Statues of OICOA were approved by the General Assembly of  OIC Ombudsman Association (OICOA) in its Meeting held in Istanbul in September 2017 except the Article 7a which was  deferred for the consideration of the Steering committee in Sudan. The Steering Committee (OICOA) was apprised, at its Meeting in Sudan, that the Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman (FPO) had held a meeting to find some solution to this unresolved issue: whether voting Rights should be allocated to 12 Institutions of Pakistan who had been the Founding Members of the Association or some other criteria could be adopted. Since all the Ombudsman Institutions in Pakistan have separate laws/acts and independent jurisdictions with financial and administrative autonomy and all of them happened to be the Founding Members,

the Forum could not find justification or a cogent reason to deprive any of them of the Voting Rights. However, two alternate proposals considered by the Steering Committee were apprised to the Forum.

Group Photo of the some participants of 22nd  Meeting of the Forum of Pakistan Ombudsmen held on 21st June , 2019 at PC Hotel, Bhurban Murree