7–9 October 2025
Johannesburg, South Africa
The objective of 17ICOAF is to raise awareness, facilitate and foster peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge and best practices, and shape future policy responses related to the mandate, powers, and functioning of ombuds institutions. This year’s ICOAF is held under the theme “Building Bridges – Awareness and Outreach Efforts by Ombuds Institutions”. The chosen theme is grounded in the understanding that the effectiveness and perceived legitimacy of oversight bodies depend on the levels of awareness, understanding, and trust among those whom their mandate is intended to serve.
Against the backdrop of increasingly diverse and complex operating contexts, heightened public scrutiny of state institutions, and the spread of misinformation, the ability of ombuds institutions to effectively fulfil their mandate depends on building bridges through meaningful outreach and engagement. To this end, participants are invited to explore and reflect on outreach and awareness efforts by ombuds institutions across carefully curated panel sessions, as well as across the various spaces for dialogue provided by the framework of the conference.
Good practices shared during the conference are furthermore compiled and endorsed by participants in a non-binding Conference Statement at the conference’s closing.
