For the first time in its history, Switzerland welcomes a Croatian president on an official visit.
Official visit of the Croatian President Ivo Josipović
Thursday, 19.06.2014 Thursday, 19.06.2014
Tuesday, 10.06.2014 Wednesday, 11.06.2014
Conference; OSCE
The Swiss Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is organising an international conference on human rights defenders in conjunction with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and with the support of the Serbian Chairmanship 2015. Some 100 national human rights experts of the OSCE participating States, human rights defenders and representatives of civil society and human rights organisations from Switzerland and abroad are attending the conference.
The protection and promotion of human rights and the strengthening of the rule of law are objectives of Swiss foreign policy. These objectives can only be achieved if internationally recognised human rights norms and standards are actually implemented. Human rights defenders play a key role in this respect but are often intimidated and prevented from carrying out their work. Given this situation, the protection of human rights defenders is crucially important.
Location: Bern
Additional information
Information for media
Communication of the OSCE
- The conference on the website of the OSCE
- Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Press release
- OSCE/ODIHR Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
- Chairmanship Conclusions
Communication of the FDFA
- Swiss Guidelines on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (PDF, 748.9 kB)
- Human Rights Defenders
- Press release
Speeches