Switzerland
The Constitution of the Swiss Confederation implicitly guarantees the right to adequate food through broader human rights.
The Swiss Confederation has become a State party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1992 by way of accession.
CONSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITIONS OF THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE FOOD
Implicit protection of the right to adequate food
Article 12: Right to assistance when in need. - "Persons in need and unable to provide for themselves have the right to assistance and care, and to the financial means required for a decent standard of living."
Directive principles of state policy
Article 104:
"1. The Confederation shall ensure that agricultural sector, by means of a sustainable and market oriented production policy, makes an essential contribution towards:
a. the reliable provision of the population with foodstuffs;
b. the conservation of natural resources and the upkeep of the countryside;
c. decentralised population settlement of the country.”
National status of international obligations
Article 193: "4. The mandatory provisions of international law must not be violated.”
Other pertinent provisions for the realization of the right to adequate food
Article 41:
"1. The Confederation and the Cantons shall, as a complement to personal responsibility and private initiative, endeavour to ensure that:
a. every person has access to social security;
d. every person who is fit to work can earn their living by working under fair conditions;
2. The Confederation and Cantons shall endeavour to ensure that every person is protected against the economic consequences of old-age, invalidity, illness, accident, unemployment, maternity, being orphaned and being widowed."
Article 112:
"1. The Confederation shall legislate on the Old-age, Survivors and Invalidity Insurance.
2. In doing so, it shall adhere to the following principles:
b. pensions must be sufficient to cover basic living expenses adequately"
Article 112a.1: "Confederation and Cantons shall pay supplementary benefits to people whose basic living expenses are not covered by benefits under the Old-age, Survivors and Invalidity Insurance. "
Article 113:
"1. The Confederation shall legislate for an occupational pension scheme.
2. In doing so, it shall adhere to the following principles:
a. the occupational pension scheme, together with the Old-age, Survivors’ and Invalidity Insurance, enables the insured person to maintain his or her previous lifestyle in an appropriate manner."
INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) – 1966
Status: Accession (1992)
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) – 1979
Status: Ratification (1997)
Legislation and policies recognizing the right to adequate food
Considering that the human right to adequate food can be implemented through a variety of legal and policy actions, we invite you to visit the FAOLEX Country Profile database for a wide-ranging collection of measures that have been taken at national level. Some of the documents you may find are legislation and policies that touch on a number of relevant Guidelines, such as those on Access to resources and assets (Guideline 8), Food safety and consumer protection (Guideline 9), Support for vulnerable groups (Guideline 13) and Natural and human-made disasters (Guideline 16).
