ACFC/SR/IV(2017)003 Fourth Report submitted by Switzerland pursuant to Article 25, paragraph 2 of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities - received on 15 February 2017 ACFC/SR/IV(2017)003 The Swiss Government’s Fourth Report on implementation of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities February 2017 2 ACFC/SR/IV(2017)003 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................6 A. General remarks....................................................................................................................6 B. Latest relevant statistical data on linguistic and religious national minorities .....................8 I. PART ONE .................................................................................................................13 A. Results of the third monitoring cycle .................................................................................13 B. Dissemination of the results of the third monitoring cycle.................................................14 C. Follow-up activities ............................................................................................................15 D. Participation of national minority organisations and non-governmental organisations...........................................................................................................................................16 E. Measures to raise awareness of the Framework Convention..............................................17 II. PART TWO ................................................................................................................19 A. Shortage of sites for the Yenish, Sinti/Manouches and Roma ...........................................19 1. Current situation regarding stopping places, short-stay areas and transit sites 19 2. Parliamentary initiatives in this area......................................................23 3. Yenish protests.......................................................................................23 4. Message on Culture 2016-2020 .............................................................24 5. The working group on “improving conditions for the nomadic way of life and promoting the culture of the Yenish, Sinti and Roma in Switzerland” 24 B. Combating racism and intolerance .....................................................................................26 1. Tackling anti-Semitism ..........................................................................26 2. Decisions and rulings delivered pursuant to the prohibition of racial discrimination enshrined in the Criminal Code .............................................29 3. Countering racist comments on the Internet, in the media and in political discourse ........................................................................................................30 4. Monitoring for the survey on “Diversity and co-existence in Switzerland”...................................................................................................31 5. Measures to promote diversity and tolerance in Swiss society supported by the Confederation and the cantons............................................................32 C. Linguistic minorities in the federal administration.............................................................32 1. Institutional multilingualism: use of national minority languages in the federal administration and in relations with the federal authorities...............33 2. Promotion of multilingualism and representation of linguistic minorities in the federal administration ..........................................................................34 III. PART THREE ............................................................................................................38 ARTICLE 3...............................................................................................................................38 3 ACFC/SR/IV(2017)003 A. The Yenish and Sinti/Manouche national minority............................................................38 B. Recognition of new national minorities. The issue of Switzerland’s Roma.......................40 ARTICLE 4...............................................................................................................................43 A. Legal protection and remedies against discrimination .......................................................44 1. The legal guide to racial discrimination.................................................44 2. Protection against discrimination in cantonal integration programmes (PICs) .............................................................................................................44 B. Anti-discrimination legislation ...........................................................................................46 C. Statistical data on discrimination........................................................................................48 D. National human rights institution .......................................................................................49 ARTICLE 5...............................................................................................................................51 A. Financial aid granted to associations of Travellers, Yenish and Sinti/Manouches ............51 B. Promotion of the Yenish language .....................................................................................52 C. Promotion of Yenish, Sinti/Manouche and Roma arts and culture ....................................52 D. Promotion of national languages and understanding between linguistic communities............................................................................................................................................52 ARTICLE 6...............................................................................................................................54 A. Promoting respect for and understanding of Yenish, Sinti/Manouche and Roma culture 54 B. Promoting respect and tolerance towards the Jewish minority.........................................57 1. The current situation regarding anti-Semitism .....................................57 2. Protecting Jewish people and institutions from hate crimes ................58 C. Promoting respect and tolerance towards Muslims in Switzerland....................................64 1. Public recognition of the Muslim faith by the cantons ..........................64 2. Developments regarding dialogue with the Muslim population............66 3. The Swiss Centre for Islam and Society ................................................68 4. National minority status .........................................................................69 ARTICLE 9...............................................................................................................................70 A. The SSR’s contribution to fostering understanding between the different linguistic regions of the country .............................................................................................................70 B. News in Italian in the Canton of Graubünden ....................................................................71 C. Media-related measures discussed in the working group on “improving conditions for the nomadic way of life and promoting the culture of the Yenish, Sinti and Roma in Switzerland”.............................................................................................................................72 D. Dealing with news concerning the Yenish and the Roma ..................................................72 ARTICLE 10.............................................................................................................................73 A. Use of minority languages in multilingual cantons ............................................................73 ARTICLE 12.............................................................................................................................75 4 ACFC/SR/IV(2017)003 A. Harmonisation of the teaching of national languages.........................................................75 B. Developing school exchanges.............................................................................................79 C. Measures developed by the cantons to promote multilingualism among pupils................79 D. Schooling for Yenish, Sinti/Manouche and Roma children ...............................................81 E. Promoting knowledge of Yenish, Sinti/Manouche and Roma culture in school................82 F. Promoting knowledge of Judaism in schools and raising awareness about anti- Semitism and the Holocaust ...................................................................................................................83 G. Difficulties encountered by Jewish pupils in state schools ................................................85 ARTICLE 14.............................................................................................................................88 A. The teaching of Italian outside Italian-speaking Switzerland.............................................88 B. The teaching of Romansh ...................................................................................................90 1. Rumantsch Grischun in school...............................................................91 2. The provision of education in Romansh ................................................92