Álvaro Gil-Robles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Álvaro Gil-Robles
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_Felipe_Gonz%C3%A1lez_conversa_con_el_defensor_del_Pueblo._Pool_Moncloa._15_de_marzo_de_1993_(cropped).jpeg)
Álvaro Gil Robles at a reception made to welcome him by Felipe González
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| Ombudsman of Spain | |
| In office 1988–1993 |
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| Born | September 9, 1944 Lisbon, Portugal |
Álvaro Gil-Robles y Gil-Delgado, born on September 9, 1944, in Lisbon, Portugal, is a Spanish expert in law and a champion for human rights. He served as the second Ombudsman of Spain from 1988 to 1993. Before that, he was the Acting Ombudsman from December 1987 to March 1988.
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About Álvaro Gil-Robles
Álvaro Gil-Robles was born into an important Spanish family. His father, José María Gil-Robles y Quiñones, was a well-known professor of law and a political leader. His father had to leave Spain and live in Portugal after the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Álvaro's brother, José María Gil-Robles, later became the President of the European Parliament.
Early Life and Education
Álvaro Gil-Robles returned to Spain in the early 1950s. He studied at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, where he earned his degree in 1966. Seven years later, in 1973, he completed his doctorate at the same university. His special study was about the legal role of the "defender of the people," which is another name for an Ombudsman.
Working for Human Rights
Álvaro Gil-Robles has always been very active in public life and human rights. He was a member of the Spanish Association for Human Rights. He also led the Spanish Commission for Aid to Refugees (CEAR) and was the Vice-President of the CEAR Foundation. The Queen of Spain, Doña Sofía, is the Honorary President of this foundation. From 1995 to 1999, he led a group called the Forum for the Social Integration of Immigrants. This group advised the Ministry of Social Affairs on how to help immigrants settle into society.
Career in Law and Public Service
Álvaro Gil-Robles began teaching at a university in 1967. From 1978, he taught administrative law. He became a professor at the Institute of Human Rights at the Complutense University. In 1980, he joined the new Constitutional Court as an attorney. This court makes sure that laws follow the Spanish Constitution.
He helped write the law that created the Ombudsman position in Spain. In 1983, he became a deputy to the Spanish Ombudsman. Then, in 1988, he was chosen to be the Ombudsman of Spain. The Ombudsman is like a public defender who helps citizens if they feel the government has treated them unfairly.
Commissioner for Human Rights
From October 15, 1999, to March 31, 2006, Álvaro Gil-Robles was the Commissioner for Human Rights for the Council of Europe. He was the very first person to hold this important job. His role was to visit different countries and check on human rights. He would then write reports to the governments about any problems he found, suggesting ways to make things better. Thomas Hammarberg took over this role after him.
Countries Visited as Commissioner
From 2000 to 2005, he traveled to many countries to check on human rights. Here is a list of some of the countries he visited:
- 2000: Georgia and Moldova
- 2001: Andorra, Norway, Slovakia, Finland and Bulgaria
- 2002: Greece, Hungary, Romania and Poland
- 2003: Czech Republic, Slovenia, Portugal, Turkey, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Malta
- 2004: Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Croatia, Russia, Switzerland and Liechtenstein
- 2005: Spain, Italy, Iceland, France and Kosovo
You can find his detailed reports on the homepage of the Commissioner for Human Rights.
External Links
- Gil-Robles's Work at the Council of Europe
See also
In Spanish: Álvaro Gil-Robles para niños
