The Ombudsman Act does not include an explicit mandate on human rights education. The SCA notes that the ORB broadly interprets its mandate to promote human rights, based on Article 2 (1) of the Act.

The SCA welcomes the human rights education activities undertaken by the ORB including school visits, recommendations on educational curricula, as well as the various initiatives planned by the ORB in this area.

The SCA is of the view that an NHRI should be legislatively mandated with specific functions to both promote and protect human rights, and that promotion activities include human rights education, training, advising, public outreach and advocacy.

The SCA encourages the ORB to continue interpreting its mandate in a broad manner and to advocate for a human rights education function to be explicitly provided for in its enabling legislation.

The SCA refers to Paris Principle A.3 and to its General Observation 1.2 on ‘Human Rights mandate.’