Switzerland hails its 'slowness' before UN rights council - Miscellany

Updated

October, 30 2012 11:57:50

Switzerland hails its 'slowness' before UN rights council

GENEVA – Switzerland's slowness in implementing human rights reforms is nothing to apologise for but rather grounds for celebration, the country's foreign minister told the UN Human Rights Council Monday.

"We move forward in our own way," Didier Burkhalter told the council, following criticism by some member states that Bern was not moving fast enough to address issues like racial and gender discrimination and to strengthen gender equality in the workplace.

The council members "must understand the institutional workings" of Switzerland, he said, insisting that the country's slowness allowed it to avoid "conflicts and the risk of stalemate," and that it was in fact evidence that it "acts with wisdom."

"Switzerland is used to taking its time. You need time to integrate new directives, and it is very dangerous to go too fast, because you risk antagonising the Swiss people and making them even more suspicious of international institutions. So don't panic," Burkhalter said in response to the criticism during a periodic review of Switzerland's human rights record. "We hear the criticism of us, but in fact, it is a problem of partial understanding" of the Swiss political system, the minister said, insisting that Switzerland's direct democracy was built on a long-term relation of confidence between the authorities and the people.

On Monday, a number of countries, mainly African nations, asked Switzerland to take further measures to fight against xenophobia and racial discrimination. Disproportionate use of force by police against asylum seekers was also criticised, as was the detention of minors who were seeking asylum and who were unaccompanied by adults, and discrimination against women migrants. Turkey meanwhile called on Bern to lift a ban on minarets, which was introduced after a 2009 referendum and which was also criticised by the United States and Norway.

Several countries, including the Netherlands and Spain, also decried persistent gender gaps on the Swiss labour market. AFP

Send Us Your Comments:

Name:

Your E-mail address:

Title:

VietNamNews may edit your comments and not all emails will be published.

Hightlight

Disabled speaker inspires audience

More than 2,500 people attended a talk by Nick Vujicic, an inspirational speaker without arms and legs, at the White Palace Conference Centre in HCM City's Tan Binh District yesterday.

Crane accident leads to major power cut

A two-hour power failure caused by an incident on the 500kV north-south transmission line hindered road traffic in many southern provinces and HCM City yesterday afternoon.

Spread of hand-foot-mouth disease concerns hospitals

Hand-Foot-Mouth disease (HFMD) is now at its peak, having infected a total of 796 children in HCM City in April, an increase of 127 per cent against the same period last year.

US steel producers make dumping claim

After welded steel pipes and steel wire garment hangers, now welded stainless pressure pipe from Viet Nam continue to face charges of dumping in the US.