The
Human Rights Defender Ms. Anahit Manasyan is currently on a working visit to
the Republic of Malta, and on October 15, participated as a panelist in a panel
discussion titled “Building People’s Trust: The Ombudsman as a pillar of
democracy in times of change”.
The
event took place within the framework of a high-level conference titled
"Upholding Good Governance in Challenging Times: The Role of the
Ombudsman" dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the
Ombudsman institute in Malta.
Several
ombudsmen from various countries, along with representatives from the legal and
academic communities, participated in the panel discussion. Among them were Ms.
Margaret Kelly, Public Service Ombudsman of Northern Ireland; Mehmet Akarca,
Chief Ombudsman of the Republic of Turkiye; Michael Frendo, member of the
Council of Europe’s Venice Commission; and Anne Marie Thake, professor at the
University of Malta.
During
speech, Defender highlighted the need to strengthen the role of the ombudsman
in the context of democratic development, especially during times of change.
"The
polarization and politicization of societies undermine the perception of human
rights and distort the entire system of human rights protection. These have led
to a situation where there are numerous issues related to the upholding ethical
standards related to rights by both political and public figures, as well as
the professional communities that play a role in the context of human
rights," noted Ms. Anahit Manasyan.
The
Defender emphasized that while major political groups have numerous tools for
making their voice heard, the same cannot be said for the vulnerable
individuals and groups in this regard.
Ms.
Anahit Manasyan emphasized the importance of the implementation of continuous
steps to make their voices heard, the fostering of solidarity and harmony among
all stakeholders in the sphere of human rights, as well as the importance of
maintaining high professionalism and ethical principles to ensure the
effectiveness of human rights protection and promotion.
To
summarize, she stated that the proper protection and promotion of human rights
is impossible without solidarity between all stakeholders involved in the field
of human rights. Ms. Manasyan also highlighted the importance of international
cooperation as an effective component of the protection of human rights. During
the discussion, the framework of the activities of the Human Rights Defender in
Armenia, existing legal tools, as well as the priorities, were introduced.
It
should be added that in Valletta, at the Presidential Residence, Ms. Anahit
Manasyan participated in the official reception given on behalf of the
President of the Republic of Malta, Ms. Myriam Spiteri Debono, to the
participants of the high-level conference dedicated to the 30th anniversary of
the establishment of the Ombudsman Institution of Malta.
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