Job Posting: UN Food and Agriculture Organization

The United Nations agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger has opened a search for its next Ombudsperson. Based in Rome, the position reports to the FAO Director General and will lead an office that provides services to FAO employees worldwide. José Martínez-Aragón has served in the role on an interim basis since the departure of Katya Melluish last August. The Ombuds will serve a five-year term, with a possible one-term extension.

UN Food and Agriculture Organization Selects Provisional Ombuds

José Martínez-Aragón has been named the Interim Ombudsperson for the United Nations agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Based in Rome, Martinez-Aragon will lead an office that provides FAO employees in locations around the world. He follows Katya Melluish., who recently moved to the same position with the UN World Food Programme, and will fill the role until a permanent replacement is selected.

Development Bank of Latin America Hosts UN Ombuds Meeting

Last week, CAF (Corporacion Andina de Fomento – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina) and its inaugural Ombudsperson, José Martínez-Aragón, hosted the annual UNARIO meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay. UNARIO is the United Nations and Related International Organizations network of Ombuds and Mediators, and about 18 UNARIO members attended in person, with several others joining by video.

Development Bank of Latin America Retains Experienced Ombuds

CAF, Corporacion Andina de Fomento – Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, has appointed José Martínez-Aragón as its first Ombudsperson. In this new position, he will provide Ombuds services to CAF personnel in 13 cities and report to the Executive President and Board of Directors from the bank's office in Panama. Martinez-Aragon comes to the position from the World Health Organization, where he served as the Ombudsman and Director for nearly eight years.

Job Posting: World Health Organization, Switzerland

The UN agency for international public health is seeking its next Ombudsman for an initial two-year contract. The position is based at the WHO headquarters in Geneva and heads a global team of Regional Ombuds. The search will fill a position held by José Martínez-Aragón since 2015. Among other typical Ombuds duties, the position is expected to maintain active IOA membership and participation in UNARIO meetings.

Job Posting: World Health Organization, Egypt

The UN agency for international public health is hiring a Regional Ombudsman to be based in Cairo for a full-time, two-year appointment. It is not clear from the posting whether the position reports to the the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean or the WHO Ombudsman, José Martínez-Aragón. Among other typical Ombuds duties, the position is expected to "maintain an active understanding of professional developments in their area of work by continuing professional membership of the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) and participating in the annual and regular meetings of the Network of Ombudsmen from the United Nations and Related International Organizations (UNARIO)."

World Health Organization Ombuds Posts Report from Pandemic Year

At the end of a year dominated by a world pandemic, WHO Ombudsman, José Martínez-Aragón, released his annual report. The report describes the activities of the WHO Ombuds program; outlines the most relevant systemic issues identified last year; and follows up on the administration’s response to the recommendations made in previous reports. The report will be considered by the WHO Executive Board at its regular meeting this week.

Job Posting: World Health Organization, Denmark

The UN agency that focuses on international public health is hiring a Regional Ombudsman for Europe. The full-time position will be based in Copenhagen for a two-year contract. The WHO Ombudsman is José Martínez-Aragón, but this new position reports locally to the WHO Regional Director.

IOA Brings Foundations Course to Europe

For the first time, the International Ombudsman Association will be offering its Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice course in Geneva, April 22-24, 2020. The course will be hosted by the Office of the Ombudsman at the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Report by WHO Ombuds Responds to Organization's New Values Charter

This week, the World Health Organization's Ombudsman, José Martínez-Aragón, released his annual report on the activities of the WHO Office of the Ombudsman and Mediation Services. According to statistics for WHO in the Americas (regional WHO Ombuds for Europe and Africa report separately), the cases in 2018 increased 18% to 392 in 2018 from 333 in 2017. In addition, the WHO identified two systemic issues, including one directly tied to the organization's recent efforts to definite its core values.

Job Posting: World Health Organization, Republic of Congo

The UN agency that focuses on international public health continues to build out its Ombuds program. The current posting seeks a a full-time Regional Ombudsman based in Brazzaville for a two-year contract. The WHO Ombudsman is José Martínez-Aragón, but this new position reports locally.

IOA to Offer Ombuds Training in Colombia in October 2019

The International Ombudsman Association (IOA) and the Ombuds office team of the University of Los Andes are sponsoring an International Course on Labor Dispute Resolution based on IOA’s Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice course. The course will take place in Cartagena de Indias on October 21-23, 2019. This is the first-ever IOA course offered in Colombia. 

Job Posting: World Health Organization, Denmark

The UN agency that focuses on international public health is hiring a Regional Ombudsman. The three-quarter time position will be based in Copenhagen for a two-year contract. The Regional Ombudsman practices to IOA standards and reports to the WHO Ombuds, José Martínez-Aragón.

Job Posting: World Health Organization

The UN agency that focuses on international public health is hiring a Regional Ombudsman. The three-quarter time position will be based in Copenhagen for a two-year contract.  The Regional Ombudsman practices to IOA standards and reports to the WHO Ombuds, José Martínez-Aragón.  

World Health Organization Ombuds Says Dysfunctional Management is Impacting Mission

Last week, the Ombudsman for the international public health agency told leadership that managers lack the interpersonal skills required for effective team communications, constructive conversations about performance, and conflict resolution. The report was published by Devex, a media platform for the global development community. According to the report, the Ombuds told WHO's executive board about a number of cases of “dysfunctional” relationships between managers and staff across the three country, regional, and headquarters levels of the organization. 

IOA Announces Election Results for 2016 Board

The International Ombudsman Association has announced the results of its recent Board of Directors election. The following Ombuds were elected or re-elected to the IOA Board with terms beginning at the annual conference in April 2016:

UN Magazine Introduces New World Health Organization Ombuds

The latest issue of UN Special, the magazine for international civil servants, includes a profile of José Martínez-Aragón, who became the Ombudsman for the World Health Organization, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations International Computing Centre (ICC) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in January 2015. He says, “As a long-term goal, my objective is to develop and strengthen a workplace culture based on trust which upholds fundamental values such as respect, integrity, civility and non-discrimination.”

World Health Organization Names New Ombuds

The WHO has appointed José Martínez-Aragón to be its next as Ombudsman, starting January 19, 2015.  Stationed at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Martínez-Aragón reports directly to the Director-General and will replaces Dr. Athanase Hagengimana, whose mandate ends next week.

Brazilian Ombudsmen Association Joins with International Ombudsman Association for Training

The Associação Brasileira de Ouvidores will offer a joint training program with IOA on October 16-18, 2013 in Sao Paulo. The workshop, which is designed for Brazilian Ombuds, will introduce the IOA standards of practice and compare them to ABO's. The IOA trainers will be...

IOA Webinar to Address Cultural Components in Conflict

On September 12, 2013, two Organizational Ombuds with extensive international experience will present the next IOA webinar: "Strategies for Analyzing Cultural Components in Conflict." José Martínez-Aragón , United Nations Regional Ombudsman in Santiago, Chile, and David Talbot, Ombudsman for the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Thailan will review the theory of conflict and conflict resolution from the perspective of culture, outlining through practical examples how the lenses of culture may help to disentangle intractable situations.