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Human rights
The Swiss Centre of Expertise in Human Rights (SCHR) was founded in 2011 on behalf of the Confederation as a pilot project. At the end of 2022, the mandate expired and the SKMR closed its doors.
Politics and Administration
11 years of commitment to human rights
There is a great need for knowledge and solutions on human rights issues. This is demonstrated by the work of the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Human Rights (SCHR). Since 2011, it has implemented more than 200 projects. The pilot project ended at the end of 2022.
How well is Switzerland implementing its human rights obligations towards the UN and the Council of Europe? Do the legal bases and their application in practice in Switzerland meet international requirements? Answering these questions is a challenge faced by the authorities of the cantons and the Swiss Confederation on a regular basis. The Swiss Centre of Expertise in Human Rights (SCHR) was tasked with clarifying these and similar issues and supporting the authorities, the business community and civil society with practice-based research. The Centre of Expertise, which is located at the University of Bern and in which the universities of Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Zurich also participate, was founded on behalf of the Confederation with a view to the creation of a future National Human Rights Institution (NHRI). Originally planned for a five-year period, the Federal Council extended the pilot project twice until the end of 2022. An independent NMRI is set to replace it in 2023.