Switzerland NGO-Report on ESCR in Switzerland
NGO-Report on the second and third periodic reports of Switzerland concerning the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Bern, September 2010
Table of contents
For this report ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2
The structure of this report …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Table of contents ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Part I: Basic deficits in implementation and the implementation of the Covenant provisions …………….5
A Complete implementation of the Covenant rights in the entire state and their justiciability
(questions 1 and 2)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
B Establishment of an independent institution for human rights (question 3) ……………………………….6
C Extraterritorial obligations (question 4)……………………………………………………………………………………..6
a) Right to Health ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
b) Right to Food …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
c) Tax Policy contrary to Covenant ………………………………………………………………………………………………7
D Human Rights Education (question 6)………………………………………………………………………………………..8
E Law prohibiting discrimination in all spheres (question 7)…………………………………………………………9
F Involvement of women in political life (question 9) …………………………………………………………………..10
G Discrimination against women in working life (question 10)…………………………………………………….10
Effective measures are lacking…………………………………………………………………………………………………….11
H Combating illegal work (question 12) ……………………………………………………………………………………….11
I Combating anti-trade union practices: protection against dismissal for members
of trade unions (question 15) …………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
J Restrictions on the right to strike (question 16) ………………………………………………………………………..12
Prevention of trade union presence at companies, refusal to negotiate ……………………………………………12
K Women in rural areas (question 19)………………………………………………………………………………………….13
L Violence against and sexual abuse of children (question 22) …………………………………………………….13
M Prevention of suicide (question 29)……………………………………………………………………………………………13
N Integration of handicapped children in schools (question 33) …………………………………………………..14
O Protection of the rights of Roma and Yeniche (question 34) …………………………………………………….15
P Culture of tolerance (question 35) …………………………………………………………………………………………….15
Part II: Aliens and asylum policy………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
Q Aliens law discriminates against “third-state citizens” (questions 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 and 18) ………..16
Question 5: discrimination between EU/EFTA and “third-state citizens” ……………………………………….16
1) Access to a residence permit and the labour market …………………………………………………………………16
2) Prerequisites for integration ……………………………………………………………………………………………………16
3) Family reunion ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
4) Wage discrimination (including questions 13 and 14) ………………………………………………………………17
R Living situation of persons who do not have any regular residence status in Switzerland
(questions 8, 12, 17, 21, 24, 25 and 32) ………………………………………………………………………………………18
Art. 10 Right to family……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19
• Questions 20 and 21: Violence against women ………………………………………………………………………..19
• Question 24: Protection of children and adolescents…………………………………………………………………20
• Question 25: marriage ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………20
Art. 12 Right to health (questions 17 and 18) ……………………………………………………………………………….21
Art. 13 Right to education (question 32) ………………………………………………………………………………………21