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Important recommendations of the UN Committee against Racial Discrimination to Switzerland
The UN Committee against Racial Discrimination (CERD) calls on Switzerland to step up its efforts to combat racism. In doing so, it is based on the central requirements of the NGO platform Human Rights Switzerland. The UN body demands the closure of legal loopholes, the introduction of independent investigation and complaint mechanisms for cases of racial profiling as well as concrete measures against the discrimination of people based on their origin or their residence status.
As part of the fifth cycle of reports, the UN Committee against Racial Discrimination published specific recommendations for the implementation of the UN Anti-Racism Convention in Switzerland. The NGO platform Human Rights Switzerland, coordinated by humanrights.ch, submitted an NGO report to the UN body as part of the state reporting process in March 2020 and took part in an informal exchange with the CERD experts in November 2021.
The NGO platform welcomes the priorities set by the UN panel of experts in its recommendations: “Human rights organizations, activists and collectives have been demanding changes in those areas that the UN committee has criticized for years. It is time for Switzerland to take on responsibility, work on its deficits and actively pursue prevention », says Gina Vega from humanrights.ch.
Once again, the UN committee found that the legal provisions against racial discrimination in Switzerland were inadequate. The lack of a civil law basis makes the fight against racism more difficult and offers victims no protection in basic areas of life, such as living and working. The committee recommends Switzerland to create a coherent and complete legal basis against racial discrimination that covers all areas of private and public life.
The UN Committee also considers it worrying that the Swiss cantons lack independent complaints offices and investigation mechanisms for investigating police misconduct and racially motivated police checks. The committee also calls on the federal and cantonal authorities to enshrine an express ban on racial profiling in law and to develop an action plan to effectively combat racial profiling.
The Committee is also concerned about the persistent discrimination against people on the basis of their origin and / or their residence status. The committee calls on Switzerland to set up independent complaint and investigation mechanisms in order to prevent violence against asylum seekers and to investigate incidents of violence. Furthermore, the right to freedom of movement of asylum seekers and temporarily admitted persons as well as access to social assistance for non-EU nationals should be guaranteed.
Switzerland must meet its human rights obligations under the UN Anti-Racism Convention and offer those affected greater protection. In order to make a just society possible, it must invest in the fight against racial discrimination on a structural, institutional and individual level, pursue efforts that have already been made and work closely with civil society.
So that we can continue to work against racism and discrimination, we need your support!
With kind regards
Gina Vega
Head of the specialist office and advisory network for victims of racism
humanrights.ch
