NGOs call for a ‘strong’ human rights policy in Switzerland

An image from the time of the UN Declaration of Human Rights of December 10, 1948 in Paris. Keystone / Str

Switzerland must "close the remaining gaps" in its human rights protection system, say around a hundred NGOs on the occasion of World Human Rights Day. Despite persistent criticism, there has been no improvement to date.

Overall, “there is a lack of coherence and resources for the implementation of human rights by state officials at all levels of the federal system”, stresses the Swiss NGO Platform for Human Rights.

Against this backdrop, the organisations are calling for a “strong” policy and are making three demands. These are: to put in place laws guaranteeing the respect, protection and implementation of human rights; to adopt a human rights implementation strategy backed up by sufficient resources; and to guarantee accessible and effective complaints mechanisms.

International Human Rights Day is celebrated every 10 December, the day on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted (1948).

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