The evolution of the ombudsperson figure and its relationship with civil society

Abstract

This work exposes two important themes that refer to the mexican ombudsperson and its institutionalization with constitutional reforms, a fact that opens the possibility of acting through constitutional justice assisted with civil society. The main regulatory documents that empower their actions regarding the protection of human rights and their guarantees, fundamental in the development of a rule of law, are highlighted. Another essential factor is the  presence of civil society, which helps establish various public policies to offer greater legitimacy to the civic defender. Civil society is an active agent that is part of the framework for the protection of human rights of an indeterminate type, that is, those that belong to a larger sphere of people, environments and factors. Within these are those related to the peace of the people and the protection of the environment, which is a concept with universal application because it is the interest of all people in our habitat. From the above, different articulations of rights emerge that influence a pluralism of ideas, that is, they become specific towards a  plurality of rights, where all people can be included.

This work shows how the ombudsperson and civil society have evolved to the point where the latter has become an active agent, despite the fact that it is not yet  "constitutionalized”. This highlights the need to be more proactive through citizen participation mechanisms that seek to defend human rights in favor of collective needs.