Ouvirsearch results
Content type: News
Reconstruction and Evacuations | Ombudsman Examines Public Response to Storm Kristin and the 2025 Wildfires
On World Humanitarian Day, as recognized by the United Nations, the Ombudsman is publishing two thematic reports addressing key aspects of the response by public authorities to Storm Kristin and the rural wildfires of 2025, putting forward recommendations to strengthen the State’s preparedness, institutional coordination, and protection of fundamental rights in disaster situations. Entitled “Storm Kristin: Assessment of Housing Reconstruction…
2026-08-19
Content type: News
Statement | National Secondary School Exams and Admission to Higher Education
Following the previous press release, concerning the steps taken with the Office of the Minister for Education, Science and Innovation to obtain an update on the procedure for publishing the national examination results, and to identify the measures envisaged to mitigate the risks involved, particularly in relation to the start of the second examination phase, the Ombudsman has since been…
2026-07-31
Content type: News
Public Transport | Ombudsman publishes report on accessibility for people with disabilities or reduced mobility
The right of people with disabilities or reduced mobility to access public transport independently, safely and with dignity is an essential dimension of inclusion and is widely enshrined in law. Despite this, numerous obstacles continue to prevent this right from being effectively exercised. Many passengers have to plan every journey in great detail, without any guarantee that they will be…
2026-07-30
Content type: News
Ombudsman Marks 50th Anniversary with Award for Higher Education Students
As part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations, the Ombudsman is launching the “50 Years of the Ombudsman” Award, open to undergraduate and graduate students in all fields of study who are enrolled in higher education institutions in Portugal. The initiative aims to raise students’ awareness of fundamental rights and encourage reflection and the production of new studies on the institution, its…
2026-07-27
Content type: News
Luísa Neto took office as Ombudsperson
Luísa Neto’s inauguration as Ombudsperson took place on 15 July, following her election by the Portuguese Parliament on 3 July. In that second ballot, she received 159 votes in favour, out of a total of 218 MPs voting, exceeding the qualified majority required for election. There were also 29 blank votes and 30 invalid votes. Born in Lisbon in 1971,…
2026-07-15
Content type: News
Ombudsman’s Office brings together current and former staff members to mark the 50th anniversary of opening to the public
As part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations, the Ombudsman’s Office organised a gathering on 25 June for current and former staff members, marking five decades of service in defending citizens’ rights, freedoms and guarantees. The event brought together figures who have shaped the institution’s history, such as the first Deputy Ombudsman, Luís Lingnau da Silveira, who served during the term of…
2026-06-26
Content type: News
Ombudsman Submits Report to the Committee of Ministers Regarding the Implementation of the ECHR Judgment in the Petrescu v. Portugal Group of Cases
On May 12, 2026, the Ombudsman submitted a communication to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the context of monitoring the execution of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the Petrescu v. Portugal group of cases. Among other responsibilities, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supervises the execution…
2026-06-01
Content type: News
Deputy Ombudsman takes part in a meeting at the European Parliament on the implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum
The Deputy Ombudsman, Ravi Afonso Pereira, took part on 5 May 2026 in a meeting at the European Parliament, in Brussels, within the working groups on the Asylum Pact–CEAS and Schengen and Borders of the LIBE Committee – Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. In his intervention, the Deputy Ombudsman outlined the monitoring work carried out by the Ombudsman, in…
2026-05-06
Content type: News
Deputy Ombudsman Attends GANHRI Annual Meeting in Geneva
Deputy Ombudswoman Estrela Chaby attended the annual meeting of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), held from March 30 to April 1 in Geneva. Organized in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), this meeting brought together national human rights institutions (NHRIs) from more than 90 countries. It also benefited…
2026-04-20
Content type: News
Child Allowance. Ombudsman Suggests Reconsidering the Legal Framework for Single-Parent Families with Dependent Adult Children
The Ombudsman’s Office suggested to the Secretary of State for Social Security that she reassess the classification of “single-parent household” in the context of family allowance eligibility. It was concluded that the terms of this classification are leading to decisions that are out of step with the reality of the families this benefit is intended to protect. The problem was…
2026-03-19
