The Parliamentary Ombudspersons Office in Lithuania is an indepedent state institution established by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania in 1992 (Article 73).
Parliamentary Ombudspersons’ Office aims to:
- protect the right to good public administration that ensures human rights and freedoms, and to supervise whether public authorities fulfill their duty to serve the people properly.
- promote respect for human rights and freedoms.
- monitor the fight against human trafficking by performing the functions of the national rapporteur on human trafficking issues.
- carry out national prevention of torture in places of detention (since 2014).
The Ombudspersons’ Office is headed by the head of institution who is also one of the two Ombudspersons. Both Ombudspersons are assigned by the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) upon the poposal from the Speaker of the Parliament for a term of 5 years. One person cannot hold the posrion of an Ombudsperson for more than 2 terms.
In 2017 Lithuanian Parliamentary Ombudpersons’ Office was for the first time accredited by the United Nations as a level “A” national human rights institution – meaning that the Ombudperson’s Office complies with the Paris Principles of credibility and effective operation for those institutions.
Mission of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office
Attention and support to each and every person, the protection of human rights and freedoms by developing respect for them, by promoting personal and public dialogue in order the state authorities would properly serve to the people.
Values
- Professionalism – we all are professionals in our fields, and each investigation is carried out with quality, integrity and responsibility. We are constantly looking for the best solutions, new working methods and forms, we seek knowledge and we are initiative by encouraging creativity and strive to excel.
- Collaboration – we act unanimously in order to reach a common goal, share knowledge and experiences, discuss and help each other in good faith.
- Responsibility – we take responsibility for our work and decisions. We perform our duties with integrity, duty, so that we can be proud of our institution and its activities.
- Respect for people – we believe that a person is the most important value, we aim to listen and behave without prejudice, we are sensitive to another person’s opinion and a situation. We are tolerant, and open to ourselves and to the public.
Vision of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office
We, the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office, are a well-known, authoritative and trusted by people, we are changing the government’s and public attitudes towards human rights and freedoms.
Legally, the recommendations of the Seimas Ombudspersons are well reasoned, bringing legal certainty and therefore respected. We are motivated, energetic and active in social sphere. We are engaged in educational activities, increasing awareness and understanding regarding the importance of consistent protection of human rights. We effectively cooperate with the state authorities and the public. Our everyday activities do change the situation in the state and promote to believe in it, also significantly contributing to the development of citizenship and respectful governmental treatment of every human being.