About the Ombuds Office

Children’s rights are being violated? Even in a democratic, progressive country governed by the rule of law like Switzerland? We truly wish that it wasn’t the case. Yet attempts to consistently implement children’s rights are often frustrated by misguided notions of protection on the part of the individuals and authorities responsible for child welfare. Our Managing Director Irène Inderbitzin spoke to ElternMagazin Fritz+Fränzi, the Swiss magazine for parents, about the concerns that children continue to report to us at the national Ombuds Office for Children’s Rights. Among other things, Irène sheds light on how we offer advice and consultation, the tasks that the Ombuds Office performs and the root causes of these types of violations of children’s rights.

Almost two years have gone by since Parliament approved the bill to create an ombuds office for children’s rights. It is now time for the federal administration to act. By passing this legislation, Parliament acknowledged the void that was accurately described in the bill: despite the existence of at least 58 children’s rights organisations including seven cantonal ombuds offices as well as other such facilities at the local level, there remains a need for yet another ombuds office for children’s rights. How is this possible?

Switzerland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1997 and pledged to implement the requirements on a political, official and legislative level.