Armenian Human Rights Defender in Cyprus to attend international conference

Human Rights Defender of Armenia Anahit Manasyan is on a working visit to Nicosia to participate in the international conference “The Ombudsman Institution in a Changing Democratic and Human Rights Landscape,” marking the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Ombudsman institution of the Republic of Cyprus.

The conference discussions focus on the evolving role of Ombudsman institutions, the expansion of their mandates, strengthening their independence, ensuring the effective implementation of their recommendations, and enhancing public trust, Manasyan said on Facebook.

Opening addresses were delivered by Maria Stylianou-Lottides, Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Cyprus; Demetris Demetriou, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, Merit and the Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) of Cyprus; and Reinier van Zutphen, President of the European Region of the International Ombudsman Institute and National Ombudsman of the Netherlands.

“I was invited to speak at the first session, “From Complaints to Impact: The Evolving Role of Ombudsman Institutions,” sharing the experience of Armenia’s Human Rights Defender institution and my own experience as Human Rights Defender in bringing about systemic change in the field of human rights. Fellow speakers included Reinier van Zutphen, National Ombudsman of the Netherlands; Joseph Zammit McKeon, Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta; and Carmit Fenton, Director General of the Office of the Ombudsman within Israel’s Office of the State Comptroller and Ombudsman. I congratulated the Ombudsman of the Republic of Cyprus and her team on the institution’s anniversary, wishing them continued success in protecting and promoting human rights. In my address, I emphasised that recurring complaints concerning the same issue indicate systemic problems. The effectiveness of these institutions therefore cannot be assessed solely by the number of individual cases resolved. It must also be measured by the fundamental changes achieved in addressing systemic problems. In this regard, I noted that, during my tenure, the implementation rate of the Human Rights Defender’s recommendations on systemic issues by public authorities has increased significantly: approximately 70 per cent of the previous year’s systemic recommendations have been fully or partially implemented. I presented examples of systemic changes achieved through the examination of individual complaints. I particularly stressed that criticism by an Ombudsman institution must serve to identify and remedy human rights violations, rather than become an end in itself. The Human Rights Defender must also support public authorities in identifying problems and addressing them through a professional approach,” Manasyan said.

Institutional independence requires freedom from external interference, but does not mean isolation from other institutions. Effective human rights protection requires combining independence with constructive cooperation with all relevant actors, she added.

“We must be principled and courageous enough to raise any issue of concern, while also being flexible enough to negotiate effectively on mechanisms for resolving it,” Manasyan said.

“Addressing the prerequisites for systemic change, I noted that problems cannot be resolved using the same mindset and approaches that gave rise to them. A fundamental shift is also needed in how human rights and the means of protecting them are understood,” the Armenian ombudsperson said.