||||

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

History

What is an Office of the Ombudsman?
The word Ombudsman (om-buds-man) originated in Sweden, where the term was first used to designate a public official who was appointed to investigate citizens' complaints against governmental agencies. Today, organizational ombudsmen provide information, options, and impartial review for anyone of any rank within the organization, and they offer generic reports and recommendations for system change to senior management.

Procedures

When should I contact the Office of the Ombudsman?
The Office of the Ombudsman is a safe first step in dealing with a problem. It is a good place to visit to evaluate your options when you are unsure how to proceed. Often it is easier to resolve a conflict when it's brought to the Office at an early stage. However, you may also consult the Ombudsman as a last resort, when other efforts have failed.

How does the Office of the Ombudsman help?
The Ombudsman will listen, offer information about United Nations policies and procedures, and present a flexible range of options for resolving a problem. The Office of the Ombudsman emphasizes mutual respect.

What kinds of problems are appropriate?
Any kind of complaint, no matter how big or small, is appropriate. The Office of the Ombudsman specializes in interpersonal conflicts, misunderstandings, and issues of civility and ethics—problems that fall in gray areas not covered by rules or procedures.

What will I gain from the Office of the Ombudsman?
Speaking with the Ombudsman can help to untangle a complicated situation and uncover alternatives available to relieve your concerns. Solutions may be adapted to suit your needs in a particular situation, and they may include voicing a complaint while at the same time protecting your confidentiality. The goal is to enhance your ability to deal effectively with the situation independently, if you wish. Alternatively, the Office of the Ombudsman can serve as a neutral third party or mediator. If more assistance is required, the Ombudsman can facilitate your access to other resources.

Is the Office of the Ombudsman the final recourse?
No. The Office of the Ombudsman supplements but does not replace the existing resources for formal conflict resolution and fair practice at the United Nations. If you are not satisfied with informal attempts at resolving a conflict, you may select a formal grievance process. The Ombudsman can give you information about the formal procedures but cannot handle formal grievances. If your complaint falls outside the scope of other grievance procedures, is too sensitive or confidential, or for some other reason you feel you cannot use normal channels, please consult the Ombudsman.

What other services are provided?
With permission, the Office of the Ombudsman may informally and impartially look into a situation, facilitate communication, use shuttle diplomacy, or mediate a dispute. The Ombudsman helps to move a conflict toward a resolution but does not judge, reward, or discipline any parties.

Do I need to fear retaliation?
No. All members of the United Nations community have the right to consult the Office of the Ombudsman. Retaliation for exercising that right will not be tolerated.

Informality

What is the informal process?
At the Office of the Ombudsman you can confidentially voice your concerns, evaluate your situation, and plan your course of action. You will select the option you prefer. The Office follows no prescribed sequence of steps.

Do I have to follow the Ombudsman's advice?
No. The Office of the Ombudsman makes no formal or binding decisions. The Ombudsman only makes informal recommendations based on what she sees as the most fair and just course of action. However, the Office of the Ombudsman can bring some kinds of problems to the attention of those with the authority to rectify them, while providing anonymity to the source of the information.

Will the Ombudsman participate in formal meetings?
No. The Office of the Ombudsman does not serve as witness and does not participate in any formal grievance process. The Ombudsman cannot testify in formal judicial or administrative hearings. She can facilitate informal discussions but not disciplinary meetings or formal investigations. She serves on committees only in an advisory or ex officio capacity.

Is the Office of the Ombudsman a place to make a formal report?
Discussions with the Ombudsman are off the record and do not constitute a formal notice of complaint. However, the Office of the Ombudsman can instruct you on how to make or initiate a formal complaint. (For more information on the formal dispute resolution system please see the link on Ombudsman’s homepage.)

Confidentiality

How is confidentiality assured?
The Office of the Ombudsman will not report the names of visitors and will not act without permission, except in cases of serious risk to individual safety. The Office of the Ombudsman does not keep records of specific complaints or problems. The Office is, therefore, a safe place to discuss your concerns.

Do the visitors of the Ombudsman's Office also have an obligation regarding confidentiality?
Visitors to our office are asked to agree to maintain the confidentiality of all dealings and communications with the Office. This means that emails sent to the Ombudsman regarding a case should not be copied to other parties, nor should the details of any private conversation with the Ombudsman be related to others outside the Office.

Neutrality

What is distinctively neutral about the Office of the Ombudsman?
The Office of the Ombudsman strives for objectivity and impartiality within the Organization. Rather than determining a course of action, it offers a range of constructive options to visitors. It is not a stakeholder in the outcome and does not take positions on issues on which reasonable people may disagree.

How does the Office of the Ombudsman remain neutral?
The Ombudsman is directly responsible to the Secretary-General, not to any other administrative office. The Office of the Ombudsman officers does not arbitrate or adjudicate and has no decision-making power.

Is the Office of the Ombudsman my advocate?
No. The Office of the Ombudsman does not take sides. It considers the rights and interests of all parties in a dispute, with the aim of assuring a fair and civil process to resolve the issue. The office fosters collaborative problem solving rather than win-lose approaches.

Recommendations for Change

What authority does the Office of the Ombudsman have?
The Office of the Ombudsman has the authority to contact senior managers in the United Nations, to gather information if a visitor requests that a situation be investigated, to mediate or negotiate settlements to disputes, to bring issues to the attention of those with authority to address concerns, to expedite administrative processes, and to make recommendations for change in policy or practice when appropriate.

What does the Office of the Ombudsman make public?
The Office of the Ombudsman keeps aggregate statistics of complaints and periodically reports problem areas to senior administrators. Data indicating general categories of visitors to the office and types of concerns are available in our activity reports. The data are strictly demographic, with no information that would identify individuals who have used the office. Over the years, the data may signal emerging issues, indicate trends, highlight vulnerable groups of students or employees, or suggest areas of improvement.

Back to top