The "Report on the Activity of the Guarantor of the Rights of the Person in the Year 2024" of the Regional Council of Veneto offers a detailed and critical view on the work of a fundamental institution for the protection of citizens' rights. The Guarantor of the Rights of the Person, established by the Regional Law n. 37 of 24 December 2013, brings together the functions previously carried out by the ombudsman, the guarantor for children and adolescents and the guarantor of the rights of persons deprived of liberty. Its mission is to "guarantee, promote, protect and facilitate the pursuit of rights" through non-judicial promotion, protection and mediation procedures. The 2024 report is not limited to an account of activities, but exposes emerging critical issues in the social and institutional fabric of Veneto, proposing a constructive analysis and indicating possible directions for their resolution.

Civic Defence Activities

The first macro-function of the Garante is the civic defence activity, aimed at protecting the rights of natural and legal persons against malfunctions or abuses by public administrations and public service managers in the regional territory. In 2024, the Office of Civic Defense handled 491 cases, of which 103 related to functions conferred by national laws (mainly review of the right of access) and 388 related to civic defense. This last figure, which represents 79% of the overall practices, marks a remarkable increase of 101 practices compared to 2023, indicating an increasing confidence of citizens in the role of the Garante as a third and impartial body.

The most requested subjects for the intervention of the Garante in 2024 were "Administrative sanctions" (20.4%), "Taxes and fees" (19.3%) and, in a particularly significant way, "Health" (18.6%). The healthcare sector has almost doubled its practices compared to 2023 (from 37 to 72), showing a trend towards an increase in complaints about dysfunctions of the health system, despite the fact that Veneto maintains levels of excellence on the national scene. The main problems concern waiting times for visits and examinations and objections to hospital discharge. In response to this, the Garante continued to support and encourage the reactivation of the Joint Conciliation Committees (CMC) at the SSR Institutions, considering them as valid tools for out-of-court settlement of disputes. The report highlights how the "moral suasion" activity of the Garante, although devoid of authoritative and sanctioning powers, often leads to a restoration of dialogue between the parties and a clarification of the reasons underlying delays, avoiding costly litigation. The opening of the offices of the Garante to the public two mornings a week has also facilitated access for people with language or digital difficulties, strengthening the proximity of the institution to the citizen.

Promotion, Protection and Public Protection of Minors

The second macro-function of the Guarantor focuses on the promotion, protection and protection of the rights of children and adolescents. Also in this area, the Garante works with non-jurisdictional instruments, favoring mediation, persuasion and guidance. 2024 has been characterized by difficulties in the application of the reforms of the Code of Civil Procedure and the start of the telematic civil process for minors, which have caused delays in the management of vulnerable situations.

One crucial area of intervention is the "voluntary care" system for children. On 31 December 2024, there were 667 active tutors in Veneto, with a clear female prevalence (78%) and a concentration in the provinces of Padova, Verona and Venice. The synergy between the Office of the Garante and the juvenile judicial authorities has led to an increase in requests for the indication of guardians (560 in 2024), making the appointment process more fluid, especially for unaccompanied foreign minors (MSNA), representing 96% of the children concerned by the requests. The report highlights a worrying increase in requests for guardians for children not recognized at birth (15 in 2024 compared to 9 in 2023), for which an early appointment is essential to ensure protection and the start of adoptive pathways.

However, there are still significant problems for MSNA, including the unavailability/escape of children from reception centres (44% of non-matching cases), the problem of their prolonged stay in special reception centres (CAS) for adults, and difficulties in administrative regularization at the age of majority. The Garante has reported these problems to the prefectures and municipalities, stressing the need for coordination to ensure the best interests of minors and prevent paths of illegality.

The report devotes a "focus" to major problems in the area of childhood and adolescence, found at national level and also reflected in Veneto. These include the following:

• Infant mortality: Although Italy has low rates, territorial inequalities persist. Veneto stands out positively for its low infant mortality rate.
• Mental health: There is a significant increase in neuropsychiatric disorders among children and adolescents, with a female prevalence and a doubling of users followed by child and adolescent neuropsychiatric services in the last 10 years. The increase in prescriptions of psychotropic drugs and access to emergency rooms for psychiatric disorders is alarming.
• Bullying and cyberbullying: 65% of young people report having been the victim of violence, with an increase in cases of "systematic" bullying and cyberbullying in Veneto.
• Child victims of sexual abuse and serious ill-treatment: In 2023, there were 6,592 registered offences against children at national level, with an increase in family maltreatment. In Veneto, 1134 minors were followed by the specialized teams, with a clear prevalence of female victims and cases of serious abuse.

The report highlights the importance of multidimensional social work and professional supervision to address the complexities of these situations, as well as difficulties in integrating children into communities and uncoordinated requests for resignations. Despite the challenges, "good stories of integration" are also reported, such as that of Mohamed, a MSNA who, thanks to the support of the tutor and social services, has achieved autonomy, demonstrating the effectiveness of a support network.

Guarantor Activities for Persons Subject to Measures of Restriction of Personal Liberty

2024 saw an explosion of the prison emergency and unprecedented attention from the highest civil and ecclesiastical authorities, such as the President of the Republic and Pope Francis. This renewed focus has brought the prison issue to public attention and put all actors of the system in front of the need to find concrete solutions.

The Regional Guarantor of the rights of the person operates within an articulated "system of Guarantors of prisoners", which includes the National Guarantor, the Regional Guarantors and those of local authorities. In 2024, the Garantor of Veneto conducted extraordinary audits in all penitentiaries in the region, finding serious critical issues. Among these, the absence of an updated "Internal Rules of the Institute" and the lack of copies of the "Charter of the rights and duties of prisoners" in suitable languages to be delivered to detainees at the entrance. The Guarantor has urged the Department of the Penitentiary Administration (DAP) to homogenize these tools and to define a "Compendium" that simplifies the numerous circulars and directives.

The main criticalities of the penitentiary system, already highlighted in 2023 and accentuated in 2024, are:

• Overcrowding: The crowding rate in Italy reached 121%, with Veneto at 140.45%, and peaks of 183% in Treviso, 179% in Verona and 164% in Venice. This problem is considered the main cause of many other critical issues and requires urgent solutions, both through the increase in capacity (appointment of a special commissioner for penitentiary construction) and by reducing the number of prisoners (debate on alternative measures to detention, decriminalisation, etc.).
• Unsuitability of detention facilities: Many buildings are inadequate, and the IPM in Treviso has been reported as unfit, with the hope of a reopening at a new location in Rovigo by 2025.
• Increasing number of suicides: in 2024 there were 83 suicides nationwide (compared to 68 in 2023), with 9 suicides in Veneto, an alarming figure that highlights the severity of psychological distress and the need to strengthen psychological support and staff.
• Difficulties in facilitating the work of prisoners: Despite the recognition that work significantly reduces recidivism, obstacles remain. The CNEL has approved a document and a draft law to enhance work in prison, and at regional level, the collaboration between the Veneto Region and the Regional Directorate of the Penitentiary Administration aims to promote pathways for work inclusion.
• Staff shortages: The Penitentiary Police and the legal-pedagogical officials are understaffed, although in 2024 new directors and officers were put into service.
• Deficiencies in health care: The difficulties of health care are also reflected in the penitentiary, with a heated debate on mental distress in prisons and the need to strengthen medical and nursing staff.

The Guarantor, although not having authoritative powers, plays an essential role of monitoring, reporting and coordination with other actors in the penitentiary system, promoting a constructive dialogue to address complex challenges.

Conclusion

The Report on the Activities of the Garante for Human Rights in Veneto for the Year 2024 paints a complex but dynamic picture of the institution’s commitment to the protection of fundamental rights. Through its three macro-functions - civil defence, protection of minors and guarantee of the rights of persons deprived of their personal liberty - the Supervisor is confirmed as a crucial actor in promoting administrative transparency, Protect the most vulnerable sections of the population and monitor detention conditions.

The statistics and analyses presented show an increase in requests for action, especially in the health sector and for issues related to children, in particular MSNA. The prison emergency, with its dramatic increase in suicides and persistent overcrowding, emerges as one of the most urgent and complex challenges, requiring a joint effort by all institutions.

The report does not limit itself to denouncing the criticalities, but actively proposes solutions and collaborations, such as the reactivation of the Joint Conciliatory Commissions, the synergy with the juvenile judicial authorities for the voluntary guardians, and the initiatives for the social-reintegrationwork of the prisoners. The Guarantor, with its role of "privileged observatory", is indispensable to stimulate dialogue, promote good practices and ensure that the rights of each person are respected, also and especially in situations of vulnerability and deprivation of liberty. The continuity of this commitment and the ability to adapt to new social challenges will be fundamental for the future of the protection of rights in Veneto.