Country detail - yourHRC.org

Switzerland

Regional group:

Western European & Others Group

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Council Bureau membership:	Vice-president (2006, 2007, 2013, 2017)
Coordinator of regional group:
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2016) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2007, 2008)
OHCHR presence:	OHCHR Headquarters
NHRI accreditation status:	C

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Ad hoc

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Promoting the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the work of the Human Rights Council; The right to privacy in the digital age; Human rights and the environment; Human rights and transitional justice; Cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage; Human rights education and training; The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests; The question of the death penalty; Strengthening efforts to prevent and eliminate child, early and forced marriage; Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence; Safety of journalists; Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem of 2016; High-level panel discussion to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, Switzerland has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Switzerland usually votes in favour or (somewhat less frequently) abstains. It has never voted against an item 7 resolution.

For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Switzerland has mainly joined consensus. Resolutions that it usually (or always) votes against include: OIC resolutions on defamation of religions; Cuba’s resolutions on right to peace; some African Group resolutions on racism and the Durban Review Conference; and African Group resolutions on complementary standards to CERD. It has abstained on certain item 9 resolutions, and on Cuba’s text on the right to peace. It has voted in favour of resolutions on: arms transfers; the question of the death penalty; human rights, democracy and rule of law; sexual orientation; torture; and religious discrimination.

For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Switzerland has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Resolutions that it tends to vote against include: Cuban resolutions on the effects of foreign debt; Cuban resolutions on international solidarity; and NAM resolutions on unilateral coercive measures. Switzerland votes in favour of NAM resolutions on the right to development.

View full voting record

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional or subregional
group statements

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 139

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 22

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Visits completed / requested

Communications responded to / received

Longest outstanding country visit request >
SR trafficking, 2015

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CPED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESRC

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

ICESRC
2 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2008, 2012)

Mid-term report

1st cycle

Level of delegation

Federal Councillor and Ambassador

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 98 / 192

2^nd cycle: 137 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2016)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 24

Switzerland tabled voluntary pledges and commitments in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2010-2013 on 18 March 2010.

At the international level, Switzerland pledged to: participate actively in the work of the Council and engage in inclusive dialogue; contribute to the 5-year review of the Council; ensure that the Council deals with human rights situations everywhere; promote human rights education; promote the participation of NGOs in the work of the Council; work in close cooperation with OHCHR; maintain financial support for OHCHR; mainstream human rights across the UN’s development work; contribute to Treaty Body reform; help support states implement their human rights commitments (e.g. through development assistance); examine the possibility of ratifying CPED and CRPD; cooperate fully with Treaty Bodies, including by reporting regularly; cooperate with Special Procedures and facilitate visit request; and maintain financial support for Swiss and international NGOs.

At a national level, Switzerland undertook to: comply with its international human rights obligations at federal and cantonal level; undertaken awareness-raising and training programmes at all levels; and implement the provisions of recently-ratified treaties including the OP-CRC on the sale of children and OP-CEDAW; and include civil society in the implementation of UPR recommendations.

An analysis of steps taken by Switzerland in fulfilment of its international pledges shows that it has participated actively in Council debates (e.g. 69% of interactive dialogues, 57% of panels), and has maintained its financial support for OHCHR. In terms of Special Procedures cooperation, Switzerland maintains a Standing Invitation, has facilitated two-thirds of visit requests, and responded to all communications. In terms of cooperation with Treaty Bodies, Switzerland is Party to most core conventions. It is ‘on schedule’ with its reporting under three of those treaties, while two periodic reports were submitted late, and two are currently overdue. Switzerland ratified the CRPD in 2014.

Switzerland

Western European & Others Group

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Visits completed / requested

Communications responded to / received

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 98 / 192

2nd cycle: 137 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 24

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 98 / 192

2^nd cycle: 137 / 192