Ombudsman
The Ombudsman offers independent and objective consideration of complaints, aimed at correcting injustices caused to an individual as a result of maladministration. A further important objective of the Ombudsman is to improve services provided to the public by ensuring that systemic failings are identified and corrected. From its early beginnings in Scandinavia in 1809, the Ombudsman concept has now been adopted and extended across the world. The Ombudsman idea has proved extraordinarily adaptable and innovative while remaining true to its original core principles of independence, objectivity and fairness. [IOI Bye Laws]
The International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), established in 1978, is the only global organisation for the cooperation of more than 198 independent Ombudsman institutions from more than 100 countries worldwide.
The International Ombudsman Institute is organised in regional chapters in Africa, Asia, Australasia & Pacific, Europe, the Caribbean & Latin America and North America.
Sacred Role of Ombudsman
The role of Ombudsman should be to seek to protect any person or body of persons against maladministration, violation of rights, unfairness, abuse, corruption, or any injustice caused by a public authority, or official acting or appearing to act in a public capacity, or officials of a body providing devolved, partially or fully privatized public services or services outsourced from a government entity, and which could also function as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
It should operate in a climate of confidentiality and impartiality to the extent its
governing legislation mandates, but should otherwise encourage free and frank
exchanges designed to promote open government.
It should not receive any direction from any public authority which would compromise its independence and should perform its functions independently of any public authority
over which jurisdiction is held. it should have the necessary powers and means to investigate complaints by any person or body of persons who considers that an act done or omitted, or any decision, advice or recommendation made by any public authority within its jurisdiction
Members of IOC
Africa
 BeninMédiateur de la République
 BotswanaBotswana Ombudsman
 Burkina FasoMédiateur du Faso
 BurundiOmbudsman of the Republic
 DjiboutiMédiateur de la République
 EthiopiaInstitution of the Ombudsman
 GambiaOffice of the Ombudsman
 GhanaCommission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice
 GuineaMédiateur de la République
 Ivory CoastMédiateur de la République
 KenyaCommission on Administrative Justice (Ombudsman)
 LesothoOmbudsman
 MalawiOmbudsman
 MaliMédiateur de la République
 MauritiusOmbudsmanOmbudsperson for Children
 MoroccoMédiateur du Royaume du Maroc
 MozambiqueProvedor de Justiça
 NamibiaOmbudsman
 NigerMédiateur de la République
 NigeriaPublic Complaints Commission
 SenegalMédiateur de la République
 Sierra LeoneOffice of the Ombudsman
 South AfricaPublic ProtectorOmbudsman of the City of Cape TownOmbudsman for the City of JohannesburgWestern Cape Police OmbudsmanHealth Ombud
 SudanPublic Grievances Chamber (Ombudsman)Federal Chamber of Justice for Public Service Workers
 TanzaniaCommission for Human Rights and Good Governance
 TunisiaMédiateur Administratif
 UgandaInspectorate of Government
 ZambiaPublic Protector
 ZimbabweZimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC)
Asia
 BahrainInspector General Office – National Security AgencyOmbudsman for the Ministry of Interior
 China – MacauCommission against Corruption
 IndiaLokayukt Organization (Ombudsman) of Madhya Pradesh
 IndonesiaOmbudsman of the Republic of Indonesia
 IranGeneral Inspection Organization (GIO)
 JapanMinistry of Internal Affairs & CommunicationsNational Federation of Administrative Counselors’ Associations
 JordanJordanian Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission
 Korea, Republic ofAnti-Corruption & Civil Rights CommissionOmbudsman Commission of Gangwon ProvinceCivil Ombudsman of Siheung CitySmall and Medium Business OmbudsmanCivil Ombudsman of Bucheon City
 PakistanWafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman)Azad Jammu & Kashmir Mohtasib (Ombudsman)Provincial Ombudsman BalochistanProvincial Ombudsman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PeshawarProvincial Ombudsman PunjabProvincial Ombudsman SindhBanking Mohtasib (Ombudsman) PakistanFederal Insurance OmbudsmanFederal Tax OmbudsmanProvincial Ombudsman Sindh for the Protection against Harassment of Women at the WorkplaceOmbudsman Punjab for the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace
 Sri LankaParliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman)
 ThailandOmbudsman
 Timor LesteOmbudsman for Human Rights and Justice
Australasia & Pacific
 AustraliaCommonwealth OmbudsmanNew South Wales OmbudsmanOmbudsman Northern TerritoryQueensland OmbudsmanOmbudsman South AustraliaOmbudsman TasmaniaVictorian OmbudsmanOmbudsman Western AustraliaInspector-General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman
 China – Hong KongOmbudsman of Hong Kong, China
 Cook IslandsNational Ombudsman
 New ZealandNational Ombudsman
 Papua New GuineaOmbudsman Commission
 SamoaOmbudsman (Komesina o Sulufaiga)
 Solomon IslandsOmbudsman
 TaiwanControl yuan
 TongaOmbudsman
 VanuatuOmbudsman
Caribbean & Latin America
 AntiguaOmbudsman
 ArgentinaDefensor del Pueblo de la NaciónDefensor del Pueblo de la Provincia del ChacoDefensorÃa del Pueblo de la Provincia de CórdobaDefensor del Pueblo de la Provincia de JujuyDefensorÃa del Pueblo de la Provincia de Santa FeDefensorÃa del Pueblo de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos AiresDefensorÃa del Pueblo de la Ciudad de NeuquénDefensorÃa del Pueblo de la Ciudad de PosadasDefensorÃa del Pueblo de la Ciudad de RÃo CuartoAuditor General de Villa MarÃaProcuración Penitenciaria de la Nación
 BarbadosOmbudsman
 BermudaOmbudsman
 Cayman IslandsOmbudsman
 CuracaoOmbudsman
 GuatemalaProcuradurÃa de los Derechos Humanos
 HaitiOffice of the Protection du Citoyen
 MexicoComisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos (CNDH)Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Distrito FederalComisión de los Derechos Humanos del Estado de Quintana Roo
 PanamaDefensorÃa del Pueblo
 PeruDefensorÃa del Pueblo
 Puerto RicoOmbudsman
 Sint MaartenOmbudsman
 Trinidad & TobagoOmbudsman
 Turks & Caicos IslandsComplaints Commissioner
 Virgin Islands (British)Complaints Commissioner
Europe
 AlbaniaPeople’s Advocate
 ArmeniaHuman Rights Defender
 AustriaPeople’s AttorneyStateProsecutorVorarlberg
 AzerbaijanCommissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman)
 BelgiumThe Federal OmbudsmanFlemish Ombudsman ServiceMédiateur de la Wallonie et de la Fédération Wallonie-BruxellesOmbudsvrouw stad AntwerpenOmbudswoman City of GhentOmbudswoman of the German-speaking Community of BelgiumPensions Ombudsman
 Bosnia and HerzegovinaInstitution of the Human Rights Ombudsman
 BulgariaOmbudsman of the RepublicPublic Mediator of Sofia Municipality
 CroatiaCroatian People’s Ombudswoman
 CyprusCommissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights (Ombudsman)
 Czech RepublicPublic Defender of Rights
 DenmarkDanish Parliamentary Ombudsman
 EstoniaChancellor of Justice
 European UnionEuropean Ombudsman
 Faroe IslandsFaroese Parliamentary Ombudsman
 FinlandParliamentary OmbudsmanChancellor of Justice
 FranceLe Defenseur des droits
 GeorgiaPublic Defender (Ombudsman)
 GermanyPetitions Committee of the German BundestagOmbudsman for the State of Schleswig-Holstein
 GibraltarPublic Services Ombudsman
 GreeceGreek OmbudsmanCity of Athens Ombudsman
 GreenlandInatsisartut Ombudsman / Ombudsman for Inatsisartut
 HungaryCommissioner for Fundamental Rights
 IcelandThe Althing Ombudsman
 IrelandOmbudsmanOmbudsman for ChildrenOmbudsman for the Defense Forces
 IsraelState Comptroller & OmbudsmanOmbudsman of the Israeli JudiciaryOmbudswoman of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany
 ItalyOmbudsman of the Autonomous Province Bolzano (South Tyrol)Difensore regional della LombardiaDifensore Civico della ToscanaDifensore Civico e Garante dei Minori della Provincia Autonoma di TrentoDifensore Civico della Regione autonoma Valle d’Aosta
KosovoOmbudsperson institution
 LatviaOmbudsman’s Office of the Republic of Latvia
 LithuaniaSeimas (Parliamentary) Ombudsmen’s Office
 LuxembourgOmbudsman
 MaltaParliamentary Ombudsman
 MoldovaThe People’s Advocate (Ombudsman)
 NetherlandsNational OmbudsmanMunicipal Ombudsman AmsterdamMunicipal and Children’s Ombudsman of Rotterdam
 North MacedoniaOmbudsman
 NorwayNorwegian Parliamentary Ombudsman
 PolandCommissioner for Human Rights
 PortugalProvedor de Justiça
 Principat d’AndorraRaonador del CiutadÃ
 RomaniaPeople’s Advocate
 SerbiaProtector of Citizens of the Republic of SerbiaProvincial Protector of Citizens – Ombudsman of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina
 Slovak RepublicPublic Defender of Rights
 SloveniaHuman Rights Ombudsman
 SpainDefensor del PuebloDefensor del Pueblo AndaluzArarteko – Ombudsman for the Basque CountryProcurador del Común de Castilla y LeónSÃndic de Greuges de CatalunyaEl Diputado del Común – Islas CanariasDefensor del Pueblo de NavarraSÃndic de Greuges de laComunica deValenciaCommunityDefensor de la Ciutadania de GironaSindicatura de Greuges de L’Hospitalet
 SwedenParliamentary Ombudsmen
 SwitzerlandMunicipal Ombudswoman of Zurich
 TurkeyKamu Denetçiliği Kurumu (Ombudsman)Ombudsman of the Turkish Speaking Community of Cyprus
 UkraineParliament Commissioner for Human Rights
 United KingdomParliamentary and Health Service OmbudsmanLocal Government and Social Care Ombudsman for EnglandNorthern Ireland Public Services OmbudsmanScottish Public Services OmbudsmanPublic Services Ombudsman for WalesService Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed ForcesCommissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland
 UzbekistanAuthorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman)
North America
 CanadaAlberta OmbudsmanBritish Columbia OmbudsmanManitoba OmbudsmanOmbudsman New BrunswickOmbudsman Nova ScotiaOmbudsman OntarioProtecteur du citoyen du QuébecOmbudsman SaskatchewanOmbudman of the City of LavalOmbudsman City of MontrealOmbudsman TorontoCommissioner of Official LanguagesVeterans OmbudsmanHydro One OmbudspersonTaxpayers’ Ombudsman
 United StatesOmbudsman Dayton-Montgomery CountyState of Iowa – Office of OmbudsmanOmbudsman of the State of Hawaii
SOURCE: The International Ombudsman Institute (IOI)
The International Ombudsman Institute General Secretariat
c/o Austrian Ombudsman Board Singerstrasse 17
A-1015 Vienna, P.O. Box 20
Tel. +43/1/512 93 88
Fax. +43/1/512 93 88-200
E-Mail: ioi@volksanw.gv.at