United Nations Human Rights Council: Switzerland co-authors resolution on child, early and forced marriage
Bern, 14.07.2023 - The 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council ended on 14 July. This session, which began on 19 June, focused on protecting the rights of women and girls, a sensitive issue within the council. Switzerland was particularly active, along with eleven other countries representing all regions of the world, in drafting a resolution on the fight against child, early and forced marriage.
As a member of a group of co-authors, Switzerland actively participated in the process of drafting and adopting a resolution on the issue of forced marriages of women, adolescents and girls. The resolution adopted recognises for the first time that forced marriages are a form of gender-based violence. Switzerland took the opportunity to restate the need to combat structural discrimination and gender stereotypes, which are among the main causes of forced marriage.
Throughout the session, which placed a particular focus on protecting the rights of women and girls, Switzerland made a firm commitment to defending international standards on women's rights and gender equality. In particular, it took an active part in negotiations on a resolution to eliminate violence against women and girls, defending the adoption of concrete preventative measures and guaranteed access to justice for victims. Switzerland also took part in a debate in which it condemned the institutionalised discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan.
Urgent debate on manifestations of religious hatred and other topical issues
As for the other issues addressed during the June session, Switzerland took part in an urgent debate on premeditated and public acts of religious hatred. The request to hold this urgent debate had been submitted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and referred in particular to the recent demonstrations of desecration of the Quran in certain countries in Europe and around the world. A resolution on this subject was also adopted at the end of the debate.
In addition, Switzerland took part in discussions on civil society, arms transfers and climate change, in particular speaking out during the interactive dialogue that followed the presentation of the UN secretary-general's report on the adverse effects of climate change on the full realisation of the right to food, and also during the negotiations on the drafting of a resolution on the issue.
Concerns about the human rights situation in several countries
As in previous sessions, the human rights situation in several countries was high on the Human Rights Council's agenda. In line with its foreign policy strategy and human rights guidelines, Switzerland took part in the dialogues and resolutions relating to the situation in Eritrea, in Syria and in Belarus. At the presentation of the annual report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, Switzerland condemned Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and raised current developments in Russia, India, China, Egypt and Uganda.
Against the backdrop of a worrying increase in executions in Iran, Switzerland called on the Iranian authorities to limit the use of the death penalty in accordance with international law, as a first step towards its abolition. The call came as part of the interactive dialogue with the fact-finding mission set up in 2022 to investigate alleged human rights violations in connection with the demonstrations in the country.
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