Background:
Created by the organic law of 29 March 2011, the Defender of Rights (Défenseur des Droits) has replaced the French Ombudsman (Médiateur de la République), the Children's Defender (Défenseur des enfants), the High Authority for the Struggle Against Discrimination and for Equality (Haute autorité de lutte contre les discriminations et pour l’égalité (HALDE)), and the National Commission on the Ethics of Security (Commission nationale de déontologie de la sécurité (CNDS)). As an independent constitutional authority, it now combines the functions and powers of these four bodies and has sole responsibility for ensuring that rights and freedoms are respected by all public agencies and private bodies.
Approach:
The session will include a detailed presentation of the status, functioning, role and responsibilities of this new institution. Participants will also be able to review its operation, after more than two years of existence.