days throughout the Laender make a significant contribution to this process. At the international level, I have also with deep conviction supported all the initiatives that can be summarised under the slogan “the AOB goes international”. The objective of this international commitment by the AOB is primarily to make it possible for ombudsman institutions in the new democracies and the countries that are in the process of becoming states governed by the rule of law to fulfil their duties that are especially important in these countries. The same applies to both the activities of the AOB and to enforcement: “Justice must not only be done, it must also be seen to be done.” In this respect, I can report the most diverse efforts in my area of competence. For example, we assisted a man who had developed concepts for the Assistive technologies barrier-free provision of telecommunications services but who had not been able to find a contact person at the Ministry level. Neither the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology nor the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection deemed itself to be the proper authority. This hurdle was overcome by way of the amendment of the Telecommunications Act. In early July 2012, the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology had an initial discussion with the Austrian Association of the Deaf and the Austrian Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired to conduct a needs assessment. A pilot operation of a deaf relay centre was initiated. The results of the evaluation are still pending. New technologies for assisted communication, which are already available in other European countries, must still be developed. Persons who are in difficult situations are in particular danger of experiencing massive interference in areas of their lives that are protected by the Constitution can be easily demonstrated using the example Programme for the unemployed undermines data protection of a health programme that is subsidised by the Public Employment Service Austria. Anyone who wished to participate had to consent to a comprehensive disclosure of his/her health information to all of the main public social insurance carriers, including various offices of the Public Employment Service Austria, and had to waive most of their patient confidentiality as well. In the meantime, the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection has addressed the AOB’s concerns regarding data protection and privacy and has ensured that participation in this project is voluntary. As opposed to the initial fears of the complainants, there are no sanctions. 31