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News from the Field: Local ombudsmen: Defending the rights of Bulgarian citizens

In Bulgaria, the Crime Prevention Fund (IGA) is facilitating local ombudsman elections with the support of the United Nations Democracy Fund. The initiative called "To Serve and Correct" is aimed at improving the accountability and transparency of local self-government and local administrations by institutionalizing and building the capacity of municipal ombudsmen. The project seeks also to provide local communities with access to one of the most democratic institutions in the contemporary world - the Ombudsman. Project's activities expand to several municipalities, surrounding the district town of Pazardjik in the southern part of Bulgaria and as announced by a local newspaper "Pazardjik became the Bulgarian capital of ombudsmen". A news conference was arranged by IGA, right after the initial approval of the project in October 2006, in a bid to acquaint the local community with the foreseen activities aimed at the institutionalization of local ombudsmen. The project sparked strong interest and received wide media coverage.

After a few months of preparing and conducting a special survey on the institutionalization of local public mediators in Bulgaria, the project kicked off in May with the public launch of the survey’s results and analyses. 200 people were asked about the role of the institution in the three municipalities of Pazardjik, Batak and Lesichovo, where local ombudsmen are already active. The survey results were analyzed by a team of sociologists. The media is having a key role in strengthening and publicizing the institution of the ombudsman. Ten municipalities have been identified as priority targets for future project activities. Now, IGA is undertaking further research and finalizing the list of local NGO partners that will be facilitating the local public mediator elections. Emblematic figures associated with the promotion and launch of the Ombudsman in Bulgaria, including the Bulgarian National Ombudsman and the first public mediator based in the capital, Sofia, took part in a recent public event organized to present the activities of the project.

IGA is currently finalizing the development of a training module for the 24 NGO representatives from the target municipalities. In cooperation with the trained organizations, IGA will monitor and facilitate the 12 procedures to elect local public mediators and the 12 local advocacy campaigns to prepare the election of at least 6 ombudsmen covering a territory with an approximate population of 250,000. The planned project outputs include building the capacity of the elected local public mediators through tailored trainings and promotion of their activities as well as the publishing of a special brochure about the project – the first project implemented in Bulgaria with UNDEF funding and support.