“In accordance with Article 192 (1) of the Constitution and Article 12 (2) of the Law, the Ombudsman is elected by the National Assembly, upon recommendation of the competent standing committee of the National Assembly by at least three-fifths (3/5) of votes of the total number of Members of Parliament.
While acknowledging that the HRDA reports that, in practice, vacancies are advertised, the process is broad and transparent, and civil society is able to participate in the screening and selection process, this practice is not explicitly enshrined in law, regulation or in another binding administrative guideline.
The SCA encourages the HRDA to advocate for amendments for the formalization and application of a process that includes requirements to:
- Publicize vacancies broadly;
- Maximize the number of potential candidates from a wide range of societal groups and educational qualifications;
- Promote broad consultation and/or participation in the application, screening, selection and appointment process and;
- Assess applicants on the basis of pre-determined, objective and publicly-available criteria;”