Convention on the Rights of the Child - Concluding observations on the combined second to fourth periodic reports of Switzerland

On 4 February 2015, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child published its recommendations on how Switzerland should improve the implementation of children's rights in its country. Firstly, the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee warn of a patchy implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) by the Confederation and the cantons. Specifically, a suitable Switzerland-wide strategy for implementing the CRC is lacking, as is a body that can coordinate and promote corresponding efforts at the federal, cantonal and communal levels. The UN committee also calls for an independent monitoring mechanism for children (e.g. an ombuds office) that can also receive and investigate complaints to be put in place.