Varuh ДЌlovekovih pravic

Matjaž Hanžek

Human Rights Ombudsman

since 21. 2. 2001 till 22. 2. 2007.

  • 1977 - Graduated in sociology from the University of Ljubljana in 1977.
  • 1978 - 2001 - He has been employed at the Institute for Social Planning, which changed its name in 1980 to the Office for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development. As one of its analysts, he has become deeply engaged in various fields of human existence and activity, including problems of protecting human rights and human development work.
  • 1998 -2001 - In addition to active research at the Office for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, he also edits the Human development report as a part of the UNDP report.
  • 1978 - 2001 - He has authored a number of professional articles and publications and, in addition to the work mentioned above, also edits the publications IB Review and SRP Review. He has published three collections of poetry.
  • 1989 - As an active campaigner for human rights and as a member of the International Federation for Human Rights, he has backed the respect of basic international acts on human rights through direct actions in Kosovo. He also reported on transgressions at the United Nations session on human rights that took place in Geneva in 1990.
  • 2001 - As a candidate of no poltical party, the National Assembly on 21 February elected him Human Rights Ombudsman, with 73 votes in favour and 3 against, for a six-year mandate.
  • 2001 - Since February he has also been a member of the EOI (European Ombudsman Institute) and the IOI (International Ombudsman Institute).


From 2001 til 2004 he was writeing a fortnightly column for the newspaper Dnevnik, where he has expressed his thoughts and views to readers.