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…

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…

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…

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…