Dear Mr. Cassis,
We, as representatives of civil society organisations from different regions of the world, write to you to express profound concern regarding the recent decision of the government of Switzerland to suspend vital funding for human rights organisations in Palestine. We find the timing of this decision to be alarming as it comes at a moment when these organisations are crucially needed to provide essential support. We are alarmed by the potential consequences of this decision and the impact it may have on Palestinians who rely on the invaluable work of these organisations.
These groups provide crucial backing to human rights advocates, particularly women, while championing the principles of the rule of law and social justice. They play a pivotal role in rallying resources for civil society and ensuring that community concerns are integrated into the public policy-making process.
At a time almost 10,000Palestinians, including more than 4,000 children have tragically lost their lives in the Gaza Strip where access to essential necessities such as water, food, medicine and fuel has been curtailed, the suspension of funding for human rights groups aggravates the ongoing humanitarian crisis before us. With almost 25,000 people injured and 1.5 million forcibly displaced in Gaza, it is crucial to stress that this issue transcends taking sides in the conflict; it is a fundamental human rights concern with far-reaching implications that may take years to address.
The General Principles on Protecting Civic Space and the Rights of Access to Resources affirm:
“The exercise of the right to freedom of association, is severely curtailed and rendered null if the access to resources is restricted as demonstrated in the decline in the number of associations, decrease of activities or extinction of other associations.”
The European Union and several other states, such as Germany, Denmark, and Sweden are currently reevaluating their financial support to Palestinian and Israeli civil society organisations. This reconsideration is taking place during a period when essential services are overwhelmed, and distressingly, over 73% of the casualties in Gaza are women and children.
While we recognize the significance of ensuring that civil society organisations operate in alignment with national priorities and donor stipulations, we find your government's decision to scrutinise and assess compliance with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs' (FDFA) conduct and anti-discrimination criteria by external partners to be deeply problematic. The reason for our concern is that for countless individuals, if not a multitude, who rely on the vital assistance offered by the impacted human rights groups, the consequences could be a question of survival.
The government of Switzerland has built a reputation for championing human rights and civil society, in accordance with its commitments outlined in the Guidelines for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the European Union Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders. However, the choice to suspend crucial support to these organisations, precisely when their voices are most critical, could potentially convey a troubling message to authoritarian regimes worldwide. Such regimes often impose limitations on civic space, funding for civil society, and target human rights defenders. This begs the questions: Is Switzerland inadvertently resorting to a form of 'collective punishment'?" Is Switzerland voluntarily contributing to shrinking the space of the civil society?
With all this in mind, we urgently call upon your government to:
- Reconsider its decision promptly, aligning it with international human rights and humanitarian obligations.
- Remove all suspensions imposed on the 11 Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations impacted by this decision.
- Resume funding operations for these affected organisations.
- Enhance support to civil society organisations operating in conflict-affected areas thereby optimising the humanitarian response.
Cc
Swiss Embassies
Signatories:
- Aalem for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Inc
- Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND)
- Centro Mexicano para la Filantropía (Cemefi)
- CIVICUS
- Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO)
- CSYM HUDUMA CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL YOUTH MINISTRY YLO TANZANIA 🇹🇿
- Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
- Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo (ICD), Uruguay
- JOINT Liga de ONGs em Moçambique
- Local Communities Organization - Palestine
- Network of Estonian Non-profit Organizations
- NGO Information and Support Centre, Lithuania
- Pakistan Development Alliance
- Pakistan NGOs Forum
- Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia (RedLad)
- Red Venezolana de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil, SINERGIA.
- Tanzania Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO)
- UNión Nacional de Instituciones para el Trabajo de Acción Social (UNITAS)
* Photo credit: UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré