Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatović visited the Ombudswoman’s Office on 11 April 2019 where she met with the Ombudswoman Lora Vidović and special ombudspersons with their staff and with the Ombudswoman’s Council for Human Rights’ members. The priorities of the Commissioner’s mandate and the actual state of human rights in Europe and Croatia were in the focus of this meeting.
Among her priorities, Commissioner Mijatović singled out protection of migrants whose rights have been violating in number of European countries; even in those who have reached remarkable democratic level, what she personally witnessed while visiting the migrant’s camps but also what she learned from other sources. Numerous debates and conferences have been organised, but the situation remains the same, hence, walls and wire fences are being built; that is not Europe which respects human rights – said Dunja Mijatović to the ombudspersons and their staff.
Transitional justice, rights of persons with disabilities, rights of elderly, gender equality and impact of the artificial intelligence are also in focus of the Commissioner’s mandate. While answering the questions, she, among other, explained the criteria for acting as amicus curie before the European Court of Human Rights and emphasised the importance of cooperation with NHRIs and equality bodies which have direct insight on problems at the grass root level and are valuable source of information for the Commissioner.
Ombudswoman Lora Vidović also highlighted the importance of this cooperation both at operational level as well as in strategic and common advocacy for human rights and reporting thereof.