TCU Highlights the Strategic Role of Ombuds Offices in Bridging the Gap Between State and Citizens

The TCU took part in the opening ceremony of the 1st International Ombudsman Seminar, held last Tuesday (June 23) at the auditorium of the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) in Brasília. Organized by the National Network of Ombuds Offices in partnership with the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU) and the Ministry of Racial Equality, the event was held under the theme "Public Ombuds Offices: From Citizen Support to Social Transformation Challenges and Pathways to More Effective, Citizen-Centered Action."

Representing the TCU, Institutional Relations Secretary Manoel Moreira de Souza Neto argued that ombuds offices should be recognized as strategic mechanisms for dialogue between government and society. According to him, citizens should be at the heart of public institutions' work, and meaningful listening should guide improvements in public administration, strengthen civic participation, and increase trust in public institutions. He stressed that the challenge is to move beyond a limited role focused on receiving and forwarding submissions and instead establish ombuds offices as agents of transformation in public service delivery.

Manoel Moreira also called for closer integration among ombuds offices so that citizens do not have to determine in advance which public body is responsible for handling their request. He argued that it is the government's responsibility to organize its internal processes and ensure effective responses by combining network-based collaboration, the responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence, and human-centered service.

During the opening ceremony, the Ombuds General, Valdirene Paz de Medeiros, thanked the TCU for its partnership in promoting civic participation. CGU Minister Vinicius Marques de Carvalho also highlighted the cooperation between the Office of the Comptroller General and the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts across a range of institutional initiatives.

In addition to the opening ceremony, the TCU contributed to the seminar's technical program through Luiz Gustavo Gomes Andrioli, a senior specialist and auditor at the Court. During the panel "Voices That Transform: Placing Users at the Center of Public Service Improvement," he presented how the TCU has been placing citizens at the heart of its government oversight actions, in line with the institution's guidelines on citizen participation and strengthening public engagement through meaningful listening.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Minister of Racial Equality Rachel Barros; Ministry of Racial Equality Ombuds Fábio Moassab Bruni; DNIT Ombuds Ébert Gustavo Ribeiro; Acting Ombuds General for the Bank of Brazil Ombuds Unit Lucília Heyden; and Rodrigo Rossi, Director and Head of the Brazil Office of the Organization of Ibero-American States.

Throughout the seminar, experts discussed the so-called "citizen feedback journey," from a citizen's first contact with an ombuds office to the strategic use of data to support decision-making and improve public administration. Topics included citizen support, equity, governance, network-based collaboration, response quality, the use of technology, and translating meaningful listening into improvements in public policies and public services.