Extension for the SCHR

The SCHR is going into extra time! On 13th December 2019, the Federal Council decided to establish an independent National Human Rights Institution. The SCHR is willing to support a seamless transition and will therefore continue its activities until the end of 2022. It will use this extra time to complete all ongoing projects and address new topics taking the transition into account.

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Children’s Rights: from a protective to a rights-based approach

Since its inception, the SCHR has been focussing on children’s rights. The implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has made substantial progress. However, children are still frequently not regarded as owners of rights. In its annual report, the SCHR reviews its own work and discusses developments with a children’s advocate and a representative of a cantonal Youth Parliament.

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Past Injustices: lessons for preventing human rights violation

During the 20^th century, many people in Switzerland became victims of administrative detention or other compulsory social measures. These human rights violations have meanwhile been addressed by the government by a process of historical reassessment and in the form of reparations to former victims.

But what about the present? Current developments in social policies reveal tendencies to curb the human rights of vulnerable groups such as persons dependent on social security.

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