Co-operation with CSO & Academia

The Ombudsman sees the established continuous and constructive dialogue with citizens, civil society organisations and with the academic community as a guarantee for greater transparency in her work, for publicity and openness in her actions, as well as an opportunity to promote human rights and their protection and make them part of the national culture.

Human rights promotion is also carried out through active participation of the national human rights institution in public discussions and debates, including in the media. This approach not only makes possible publicly highlighting specific aspects of different rights, but also supports better understanding and respect among citizens and institutions. CSOs are default partners in these initiatives.

With her active initiatives in 2022 the Ombudsman reinstated that the institution remains open to cooperation with civil society representatives, by jointly organising various initiatives, discussing legislative proposals and/or regulatory framework and public institutional practice issues.

The Ombudsman institution maintains contact with more than 300 civil soceity organisations active in various fields of human rights protection. The institution’s partnership with civil society structures is enshrined in Article 11 of the EU Treaty and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In this European context, the Ombudsman actively conducts an open, transparent and active dialogue with representative organisations and the civil society. The institution is regularly sought by CSOs as a mediator or the main state interlocutor for civil participation on a number of pressing public issues. The Ombudsman regularly participates with her positions and expert opinions in CSO forums and initiatives. On issues raised by non-governmental organisations regarding the constitutionality of legal texts, the Ombudsman prepares reasoned requests to the Constitutional Court. 

For the national Ombudsman, CSOs in Bulgaria remain a generator of social change and have an important role in the state fulfilling its role in promoting, protecting and defending human rights. Through their work and research, CSOs create opportunities for different groups in society to express their opinions on issues that concern them. Particularly important is their work with vulnerable groups whose communication with state authorities is difficult, often formal and unproductive due to the bureaucratic approach of the latter. In many cases, people rely on civil organisations to improve their situation, including through assistance before the relevant competent authorities.

The Ombudsman notes the quick and adequate response of the non-governmental sector to changing social realities and implementation of causes aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable groups. In many cases the public defender supports members of non-governmental organisations that assist citizens in various administrative and judicial procedures in order to protect their rights, as well as as volunteer formations in emergency situations in the conditions of crises or disasters.

The Ombudsman also supports the process of expanding the role of CSO representatives in the preparation and discussion of legislation - key to the quality of laws. In this context, the Ombudsman has conducted a number of joint events and initiatives with the participation of non-governmental organisations.

Please see information about the Ombudsman institution's co-operation with CSO and academia below.