PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Universal Periodic Review Adoption – Switzerland [July 2023]

Thank you, Mr President.

The United Kingdom welcomes the engagement of Switzerland with the Universal Periodic Review process and its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, both at home and around the world.

We are pleased by Switzerland’s acceptance of our recommendation to establish a national human rights institution, and indeed we welcome their NHRI’s formal inauguration on 24 May 2023 – we also note that in many contexts, including our own, that there is a need for balance between national human rights institutions, ombudspersons and regulatory bodies.

We also welcome Switzerland’s progress made in combating trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation included the adoption, in late December 2022, of the third National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons and the implementation, within the framework of the asylum procedure, of processes for identifying and providing assistance to potential victims of trafficking.

We would encourage Switzerland to submit an optional mid-term report on progress in implementing all the recommendations which have been accepted.

We reiterate our thanks for Switzerland’s open and constructive approach to the human rights challenges raised at its periodic review, and its clear commitment to implementing the recommendations it has accepted. We join others in recommending that the report of the UPR Working Group on the Review of Switzerland be adopted without objection.

Thank you.