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and research concerning human rights; to present initiatives and issue
statements in order to promote and implement human rights; and to
participate in European and international cooperation associated with
promoting and implementing human rights. In Portugal meanwhile, the
Ombudsman is required to cooperate with similar institutions and with
European and international organisations for the support and promotion
of citizens’ rights.
In the Russian Federation, the High Commissioner for Human Rights is
entitled to come up with recommendations on concluding international
treaties by the Russian Federation on matters within his/her competence.
In 2017, the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the
Counterfeiting of Medical Products and Similar Crimes Involving Threats
to Public Health, which was signed by the Russian Federation back in
2011, was thus expedited at the initiative of the High Commissioner.
A number of Ombudsman institutions have recently benefited from the
Council of Europe’s thematic work providing support to Ombudsman and
anti-discrimination institutions. Current or previous beneficiaries of this
work include Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia,
*
Kosovo , Moldova, and Ukraine. An example of a project undertaken as
part of this work is in Montenegro, where the Ombudsman worked with
the Council of Europe to strengthen the office’s capacity to apply
European human rights standards in its daily work.

Another area of long-lasting support provided by the Council of Europe is
the establishment or strengthening of National Preventive Mechanisms.
Currently, the Council of Europe runs cooperation projects or
programmes in Moldova and Ukraine that support directly support such
mechanisms. Cooperation in this area is also fostered by a joint Council
of Europe and European Union project providing a forum for European
National Preventive Mechanisms.

More generally, Ombudsman institutions have cooperated closely with
the Council of Europe in seeking to strengthen the role of the
Ombudsman in human rights protection. For example, the International
Ombudsman Institute (IOI) – a global association of Ombudsman
institutions from more than 100 countries – has worked with the Council
of Europe on a number of initiatives, including developing the Venice
Principles and the present Recommendation. The IOI also helps to
develop the work of Ombudsman institutions through the publication Best

* “All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text
shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution
1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.”

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