The Swiss Centre of Expertise in Human Rights (SCHR) was set up in 2011 on behalf of the Federal Government as a pilot project. It was intended to promote the implementation of human rights in Switzerland and in the process gain experience for the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution. Conceived as a service centre, the SCHR worked on commission.

The SCHR carried out its activities until 2022 and realised over 200 projects in the eleven years of its existence.

Service centre with proven professional expertise

The services of the SCHR were directed at public authorities, NGOs and actors in the economy. They included reports, advanced training, legal or social science studies, databases, websites, information material, conferences and other events, as well as experts’ participation at panel discussions.

Network of universities

The SCHR was set up as a university network. Researchers in law and social sciences at the universities of Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Zurich developed the scientific basis for the publications and events in order to make them available for field-level stakeholders.

> You can find more information about the structure of the SCHR here.

Comprehensive thematic coverage

The SCHR provided expertise on numerous aspects of human rights in Switzerland: migration and asylum, gender and LGBTIQ*, children and youth, discrimination, rights of the elderly, police and detention, access to justice, business and economy, digitalisation and work, as well as institutional issues.