The Integration Evolution of the Institution of National Ombudsmen as a Guideline for the Growth of its Effectiveness in the Protection of Human Rights

Abstract

The article dwells on the system of the Russian institution of commissioners (ombudsmen) for protection of the rights of various categories and its impact on the human rights effectiveness. An emphasis is accorded to the problem of ombudsmen’ powers duplication, which affects the rationality of using this protection mechanism, as well as the problem of the applicant’s choice of a specific human rights institute among national ombudsmen. At the same time the author argues that there is a legislative trend of the national ombudsmen’ integration. Based on the results of the research, a theoretical mechanism for the distribution of appeals received by the ombudsmen is suggested. This mechanism considers the ombudsman’ specialization and territory of functioning as an operational way to increase the effectiveness of this human rights mechanism.