This book explores the ombudsman as a global institution. It has spread all over the world and its institutional development is increasingly being governed transnationally. Initially an institution of administrative law, the ombudsman has become a human rights institution and institution of good governance. These ideational shifts have influenced the global diffusion of the ombudsman but also the way in which this institution of accountability functions. The ombudsman is a peculiar institution of public accountability - both an institution and individual - that observes changes in the general political climate and engages in renegotiations of its intra-institutional position. The global models associated with the ombudsman are a source of organizational ideas, legitimacy, and sense of orientation, but they treat institutional actors differently, working also as mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. The book tracks the global diffusion and institutional evolution of the ombudsman. Its chapters on institutional cases further explore the joint institutional history of the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Chancellor of Justice in Finland, and the European Ombudsman.

This book uses comparative law and comparative international law approaches to explore the role of human rights ombuds, classic-based ombuds and other types of ombuds institutions in human rights protection and promotion, their methods of application of international and domestic human rights law and their roles in strengthening good governance. It highlights the increasing importance of national human rights ombuds institutions globally and their roles as national human rights institutions (NHRIs).

Introduction / Linda C. Reif.

Commissioned by the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (BIM) in Vienna conducted a comparative analytical study on Ombudsman Institutions in the Australasia and Pacific region between January 2011 and April 2012. In Part 1, this book provides an analytical comparison of the public sector Ombudsman Institutions in Australia (the Commonwealth Ombudsman and the state/territory Ombudsmen of all Australian states as well as of the Northern Territory and the ACT), the Cook Islands, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Taiwan, Tonga and Vanuatu. In addition to a comparative analysis showing the partial heterogeneity of the Institutions, a comprehensive overview of common features, and explorations of the specifics and peculiarities of the Institutions, Part 2 presents separate reports on the 16 different jurisdictions featuring their main functions as follows: - Legal basis, legal status and organisation, - Mandate, object of control and standard of control, - Powers, including legal quality and impact of the outcomes of investigative procedures, - Relationship to the administration, the judiciary and the legislator, and - Special characteristics. Part 2 is based on information provided by the Institutions themselves in questionnaires sent out at the outset of the study, an analysis of the respective establishing acts and other relevant laws, and on relevant scientific publications and the Institutions’ Annual Reports. The reports also refer to relevant legal provisions and include websites addresses for ease of reference.

This volume reflects the findings of a conference organized in preparation of setting up a national human rights commission and ombudsman institution in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The meeting assembled experts in the field of the protection and promotion of human rights, and of the problems of countries in transition from a non-democratic system, characterized by gross violations of human rights, towards a democratic system based on the rule of law and respect for human rights. The book analyses the functioning of national human rights commissions and ombudsman institutions in 23 different countries, by means of country report written in the main by members of these institutions themselves and containing an assessment of their experience. Many offer relevant constitutional and legislative provisions as well. This volume thus forms a unique collection of materials dealing with national human rights commissions and ombudsman offices.

The "International Ombudsman Yearbook" is the only publication devoted to ombudsman issues. The public sector ombudsman is now found at all levels of government in many countries around the world, both in established and consolidating democracies. The ombudsman is an independent office, traditionally appointed by the legislative branch, to investigate poor administration of government. More recently, some ombudsman offices have been given human rights protection responsibilities. The "International Ombudsman Yearbook" contains articles written from legal or public administration perspectives which address issues of interest to the contemporary ombudsman and to all persons with an interest in the institution. Compiled and edited by the International Ombudsman Institute, the organization composed of over 130 ombudsman members located worldwide, the "Yearbook" will be of interest to lawyers, scholars, ombudsman office personnel and government entities wherever ombudsman offices are located or contemplated.

The International Ombudsman Yearbook is the only publication devoted to ombudsman issues. The public sector ombudsman is now found at all levels of government in many countries around the world, both in established and consolidating democracies. The ombudsman is an independent office, traditionally appointed by the legislative branch, to investigate poor administration of government. More recently, some ombudsman offices have been given human rights protection responsibilities. The International Ombudsman Yearbook contains articles written from legal or public administration perspectives which address issues of interest to the contemporary ombudsman and to all persons with an interest in the institution. Compiled and edited by the International Ombudsman Institute, the organization composed of over 130 ombudsman members located worldwide, the Yearbook will be of interest to lawyers, scholars, ombudsman office personnel and government entities wherever ombudsman offices are located or contemplated.