Humanrights.ch, Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, European Network on Statelessness and Terre des hommes Foundation Joint Submission to the Human Rights Council at the 28th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (Third Cycle, 6-17 November 2017) Switzerland Introduction 1. Humanrights.ch, the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, the European Network on Statelessness and Terre des hommes Foundation make this joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review in relation to statelessness, access to nationality and human rights in Switzerland. 2. Humanrights.ch (hr.ch)1 is a Swiss non-profit organisation established in 1999 with the main aim of gathering and providing information, raising public awareness, monitoring state action and counselling on human rights issues and the human rights situation in Switzerland. Hr.ch has particular expertise in coordinating and publishing reports and opinions on the human rights situation in Switzerland and has contributed to a number of reports to UN and Council of Europe monitoring bodies. 3. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI)2 is an independent non-profit organisation committed to an integrated, human rights based response to the injustice of statelessness and exclusion through a combination of research, education, partnerships and advocacy. Established in August 2014, it is the first and only global centre committed to promoting the human rights of stateless persons and ending statelessness. Over the past two years, the Institute has made over 10 country specific UPR submissions on the human rights of stateless persons, and also compiled summaries of the key human rights challenges related to statelessness in all countries under review under the 23rd to the 27th UPR Sessions.3 4. The European Network on Statelessness (ENS)4 is a civil society alliance of NGOs, lawyers, academics and other independent experts committed to addressing statelessness in Europe. Based in London, it currently has over 100 members (including 55 organisations) in 39 European countries. ENS organises its work around three pillars – law and policy, communications and capacity-building. The Network provides expert advice and support to a range of stakeholders, including governments. 5. Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh)5 is the leading Swiss organisation for child relief. Founded in 1960, Terre des hommes Foundation helps to build a better future for disadvantaged children and their communities, with an innovative approach and practical, sustainable solutions. Active in more than 30 countries, Tdh develops and implements field projects to allow a better daily life for 3 million children and their close relatives, particularly in the domains of health care, child protection and emergencies. This engagement is financed by individual and institutional support, of which 87% flows directly into the programs of Tdh. 1 For more information about humanrights.ch, please see the website http://www.humanrights.ch/. 2 For more information about ISI, please see the website http://www.institutesi.org/. 3 For more on the Institute’s UPR advocacy, see http://www.institutesi.org/ourwork/humanrights.php 4 For more information about ENS, please see the website http://www.statelessness.eu/. 5 For more information about Tdh, please see the website https://www.tdh.ch/en. 2