OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Federal Law on the Support to the National Human Rights
Institution of Switzerland
TABLE OF CONTENT
I.
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 3
II.
SCOPE OF REVIEW ................................................................................ 3
III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................... 4
IV. ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................... 6
1. International Standards on National Human Rights Institutions......................................... 6
2. General Comments .................................................................................................................... 8
2.1. Institutional Framework on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in
Switzerland ......................................................................................................................... 9
2.2. The Non-Permanent Nature of the NHRI .......................................................................... 12
3. The Independence of the NHRI of Switzerland .................................................................... 13
3.1. Safeguards to Protect the NHRI’s Independence .............................................................. 13
3.2. The Need to Ensure the NHRI’s Functional Immunity ...................................................... 15
4. The Mandate of the NHRI of Switzerland ............................................................................ 17
4.1. The Scope of the Mandate ................................................................................................. 17
4.2. Complaints-Handling Mandate ......................................................................................... 19
4.3. The NHRI’s Powers to Perform its Mandate..................................................................... 20
5. The Leadership, Staffing, Operation and Funding of the NHRI ........................................ 21
5.1. Governing Body ................................................................................................................. 21
5.2. Pluralism ........................................................................................................................... 24
5.3. The NHRIs’ Autonomy in Human Resources Management............................................... 26
5.4. The Budget and Funding of the NHRI and its Premises and Infrastructure ..................... 27
5.5. The NHRIs’ Annual Reports .............................................................................................. 29
6. Legislative Process and Participatory Approach ................................................................. 30
Annex:
Draft Federal Law on the Support to the National Human Rights Institution
of Switzerland
2