The Ombudsman, Peter Svetina, presented the Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2021 to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tanja Fajon, at a meeting at the Ombudsman's premises. They discussed the Ombudsman's international activities, especially in his role as a national human rights institution. "As we obtained A status under the Paris Principles (1993) on the Status of National Human Rights Institutions at the beginning of 2021, which is of historic importance for both our institution and the country, we had the right to vote for the first time as a full member at the General Assembly of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) in 2021," the Ombudsman informed the Minister.
In December 2021, Ombudsman Peter Svetina was elected to the Board of Directors for Europe of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) as one of the seven Directors, and he briefed the Minister on the increased international activities in this field.
He also outlined the work of the Centre for Human Rights, which, among other things, monitors the implementation of human rights, and produces educational content and analysis in the field of human rights. In 2021, the Centre produced, among other things, a short guide on how and when to complain to the United Nations International Committees about human rights violations and organised a webinar on the subject. "It has also prepared several international recommendations, namely on the state of the rule of law for the European Commission, an interim alternative report to the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), an alternative report to the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and a National Report on the Situation of the Human Rights of Migrants at the Borders within the framework of the ENNHRI," the Ombudsman added. He additionally informed her that representatives of the Centre also meet regularly with the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), especially when preparing the report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Slovenia. The Centre also responds to a number of calls and questionnaires from UN bodies and other international organisations.
The Ombudsman expects the Government, in accordance with the international human rights treaties it has ratified, to submit regular and timely reports on the implementation of its obligations under these treaties to the competent committees established under these treaties. “Slovenia is still late in submitting its report under the International Covenant on Cultural, Economic and Social Rights. The deadline for the submission of the report was 30 November 2019,” the Ombudsman told the Minister.
The Ombudsman also informed the Minister that he had informed the European Commission of his views on the amended foreign legislation. He also highlighted the long-standing and continuous international cooperation of the Ombudsman's institution in the field of prevention of torture and other degrading treatment. In the international field, the Ombudsman has been cooperating for many years in the framework of ENOC, the Association of Ombudspersons for Children's Rights, the Association of Mediterranean Ombudspersons, as well as in other international associations and international organisations, and has participated in various international events.
