Over the past three decades, the Control Yuan has ensured effective communication by developing and maintaining relations with individuals, civil society, government institutions, and international organizations dedicated to promoting and protecting human and citizens’ rights. The Control Yuan has actively participated in international ombudsman meetings, regularly invited prominent figures from the global ombudsman community to visit,
engaged in exchanges and research with other supervisory institutions, and supported studies and the dissemination of information on the ombudsman system, all
aimed at enhancing the world’s understanding of its mandates.
The Control Yuan became a voting member of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) in August, 1994. IOI, a worldwide non-governmental organization (NGO) headquartered in Vienna, Austria, was founded in 1978. Its purpose is to advocate the concepts of ombudsman and human rights, to strengthen ideas in this domain and to promote popularization of the systems. Moreover, it serves as a bridge of communication among ombudsman institutions around the world.
After joining the IOI in 1994, the Control Yuan then held the international conference on “The Ombudsman Concept” in Taipei in the following month, turning over a new leaf of East-West communication among ombudsman institutions. In order to set works of various international affairs in motion, the Control Yuan resolved at its 24th plenary meeting in December 1994 to establish an International Affairs Committee (IAC). On January 9th, during the 26th plenary meeting, the “Provisions for the Establishment the Control Yuan International Affairs Committee” was approved. The International Affairs Committee also strives to internationalize the implementation of Control Yuan’s oversight functions and is responsible for liaison and general affairs with other international ombudsman organizations.
The Control Yuan began participating in the Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Region (APOR) Conference as an observer in 1999. In the same year, the Control Yuan officially applied to transfer its membership from the Asian Region to APOR, and has regularly attended
regional meetings since 2002.
The 31st APOR Conference, held in September 2019, was the second regional international conference hosted in Taiwan since the Control Yuan became an official member of APOR. Themed “The Ombudsman’s Role in Human Rights Protection,” the event demonstrated the Control Yuan’s dedication to fulfilling its responsibilities as a voting member and its capacity as a gracious host.
Building on its longstanding commitment, the Control Yuan hosted
the 37th APOR Conference from September 3 to 5, 2025, in Taipei, marking the third time it has had the honor of hosting this prestigious regional event. Themed“Diverse Practices and Developments in Ombudsperson and Human Rights Work,” the conference brought together ombudspersons from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific, as well as observers from neighboring countries and distinguished experts and academics in the fields of ombudsperson and human rights. Through meaningful exchanges and shared insights, the Control Yuan once again strengthened regional cooperation, advanced good governance and human rights, and reaffirmed its dedication to democracy and the rule of law.
The Control Yuan has valued international exchange and maintained friendly relations with IOI leaders over the years. As of 2025, seven IOI presidents, two vice-presidents and six secretary-generals have visited Taiwan.
The Control Yuan also actively attends International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) and the Ibero-American Ombudspersons Federation (FIO) meetings to exchange best practices and strengthen institutional networks. In recent years, the Control Yuan has participated in the following events organized by the aforementioned institutions: