The Ombudsperson of Republic of Kosovo Mr. Hilmi Jashari, is participating in 11th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute, hosted by the Office of Ombudsman of Thailand. The Conference will be held in Bangkok from 14 -19 November 2016.

The theme of this Conference “Evolution on Ombudsmanship” and presentations in plenary sessions, are expected to be very fruitful for the Conference, discussions of which will be divided into special subthemes, which include assessment of Ombudsmen’s work; human rights approach to their investigative work; multiple jurisdictions of the Ombudsmen Offices and the challenges regarding this; cooperation with civil society; freedom of information and media; Ombudsmen’s work in time of crises and under coercion, as well as relation between Ombudsmen and the Mandate of Torture Preventive Mechanisms.

Invitation to participate in this Conference has come from the President and the Secretary of the IOI as well as from Ombudsman of Thailand, the office of which have covered the accommodation expenses during the Conference, where the Ombudsperson, in the capacity of panelist, exposed his speech, in the second day of conference’s work, in the session of Cooperation of Ombudsmen Institutions with Civil Society.

In his introduction speech the Ombudsperson has recalled the formal legal background of the Ombudsman Institute and the progress on establishment of over 110 such institutions all over the world, which continue to strengthen the networking and coordination in order to influence on the function of human rights and fundamental freedoms in regional and global level. Furthermore, he emphasized also the accelerated development of the non-governmental sector, in the trend of progressive developments in the whole world.

Detailing the mandate that Institutions have, the Ombudsperson has stressed the independence that Ombudsmen Institution and NGO have, considering precisely this element, as a point that links them in exercising their mandate. Furthermore, he also appraised focusing of many NGOs on human rights issues.

“In some countries, for the Ombudsmen but for NGOs as well, first-generation of rights, known as civil and political rights, are priorities for the respective societies. In some others, the second-generation of human rights, known as economic and social rights, comprise core activity of NGO orientation but of the Ombudsmen as well and the third-generation of human rights, which comprises the rights such as environment protection, of the personal data or cultural rights, include Ombudsmen Institutions but NGOs as well which have also coverage and networking at national, regional and international levels”, pointed out Mr. Hilmi Jashari, the Ombudsperson in his speech and added that “All rights and freedoms determined by any generation of human rights, comprise the bases for the joint work between Ombudsmen and NGOs, on advancement, protection and promotion of human rights as well as strengthening and fostering the democracy.

Furthermore, the Ombudsperson presented to the participants of the 11th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute, his experience as an Ombudsperson on joint projects and initiatives with national non-governmental organizations in Kosovo or with those represented by offices or missions in our Country.

Speaking about international and local standards of cooperation between Human Rights National Institution and the civil society, the Ombudsperson emphasized that there is a suitable legal base at place for strengthening of cooperation and mutual coordination, on promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms. Majority of UN reporting mechanisms, as a primary support have Ombudsmen and NGO’s mechanisms and the contribution for drafting of relevant committee reports, stressed Mr. Jashari and added that the same experience is reflected into regional mechanisms, disclosing his experience related to his contribution in CPT (Committee of Prevention of Torture), or Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities, while in legal formal aspect he pointed out that the cooperation is determined by a basic document in the global level for the Ombudsmen work, actually Chapter II and III of Paris Principles, where cooperation between National Human Rights Institutions and NGOs is requested.

In conclusion of his speech the Ombudsperson of Republic of Kosovo stated that it is on Ombudsmen Institutions and NGOs to find modalities of cooperation and coordination, which are challenges in itself, but based on tested models, such may include: cooperation in provision of free of charge legal aid and judicial representation; establishing of joint software of publication of recommendations; use of Parliaments and Governments’ mechanisms for implementation of recommendations; joint coordinated projects and inquiries; initiatives and support in legislation drafting and advises on different fields of rights and freedoms from well-known personalities of non-governmental sector.

Ombudsperson Institution (OI) is a member with voting right in IOI, and therefore during the session, the Ombudsperson of Republic of Kosovo participated also in the session of IOI General Assembly, in the course of which the Board has been elected and the voting on electoral reforms in IOI has been conducted.

11th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute, which is held every four years, is continuing its work!