NEWS

Ombudspersons and Minority Issues

The Ombudsman Project at The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) aims to expand the availability and effectiveness of ombudsperson institutions addressing minority issues in the wider Europe. The Project supports the establishment of new institutions where there are none at present and it strengthens capacities for minority protection and human rights work in existing mechanisms.

ECMI has for the past 2 years managed a network of ombudsman institutions in the wider Europe: supporting them in their work with minority issues; encouraging the establishment of specialized structures for minority issues within those institutions; and facilitating the exchange of information through training workshops, conferences and online resources.

In close cooperation with a distinguished group of international experts and practitioners, and supported by the office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, the project has been realizing its goals in three ways:

By developing a network of relevant institutions and encouraging cooperation and exchange amongst ombudsperson offices in the wider Europe;
By compiling resources on best practice and providing opportunities for information sharing through the project website and a best practice publication; and
By providing expert advice and support to governments or institutions, for example through staff training programmes.

You can read all about the project, have a look at our collection of materials and look for further information in the links and research sources.
Updated content is added regularly.