This question was at the centre of our livestream for the International Children's Rights Day on Thursday, 20 November 2025. Prompted by the Noser Motion (19.3633) and the intensive consultation process surrounding it, we examined together what legal and political requirements are necessary for a national ombuds office – and how such a model could be integrated into Switzerland's federal system.
Prof. Dr. iur. Felix Uhlmann, Professor of Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of Zurich, has examined the constitutional foundations, competences and possible financing mechanisms of a national ombuds office on behalf of the Ombuds Office Children's Rights Switzerland. His expert opinion reaches a clear conclusion: a public-law ombuds office is constitutionally compliant – provided it is precisely defined within federal competences.
In the livestream, Prof. Uhlmann discussed these findings together with lic.iur. Katja Cavalleri Hug, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Advisory & Expertise at the Ombuds Office Children's Rights Switzerland. The focus was on the following points, amongst others:
- what role a national ombuds office can assume in the federal system,
- how federal and cantonal competences can work together in a coherent way,
- and what consequences different implementation models have for the political debate.
The discussion was moderated by Irène Inderbitzin, EMBA HSG, Managing Director of the Ombuds Office Children's Rights Switzerland. The many questions and perspectives from the audience demonstrated how great the interest is in a viable solution for children's rights at federal level.
