Guide for Ombudsman Institutions: How to handle complaints

Guide for Ombudsman Institutions: How to Handle Complaints

pdf (1MB)

Download

Guide for Ombudsman Institutions: How to handle complaints

February 5, 2014

This guide aims to share knowledge about best practices developed by Ombudsman institutions around the world for receiving complaints. The guide provides personnel of Ombudsman institutions with accessible guidelines on how to communicate and interact with individuals and groups that contact the Ombudsman institution to make complaints or seek information, and generally on how to handle complaints. It does not suggest the type of advice that should be given, as this will vary according to national legislation and the mandate of the Ombudsman institution, but contains best practices on policies regarding receipt of complaints, procedures to be followed when receiving complaints, personnel policies, confidentiality, bias, service equity, physical access to an office, and protection of complainants and witnesses against retribution.

Guide for Ombudsman Institutions: How to Handle Complaints