Human rights and science
With their Delegate for Human Rights, the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences advocate for the rights of scientists, while also addressing aspects of their responsibility. The current Delegate is Daniel Moeckli, Law Professor at the University of Zurich.
A multi-layered relationship
The academies’ diverse engagement at the interface between human rights and science was the topic of a panel discussion in June 2020.
Protecting human rights of researchers
The academies support researchers whose human rights are violated as a result of their scholarly work, e.g. through arbitrary detention. Appropriate activities are taken in cooperation with national and international actors, including the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies.
An additional partner is the Swiss section of Scholars at Risk, the global network of several hundred universities that organises guest places for persecuted researchers. Radio SRF1 reported on this.
Safeguarding academic freedom
Academic freedom stands for free scientific activity and the unhindered exchange of scientific ideas. Although enshrined in many national and international legal documents, it is under increasing pressure at various levels. Seriously concerned about the developments in Türkiye and Hungary (Central European University) at the time, the Academies held an international conference in Bern on this topic in 2017 Under the impression of geopolitical changes (keyword «knowledge security») and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Academies once again addressed academic freedom at a conference in Brussels in 2023, organised jointly with the Swiss National Science Foundation and SwissCore.
Conference 2017
Presentations: David Bohmert, Ayse Dayi, Terence Karran, Leiv K. Sydnes, Fred Zaumseil
Media coverage: Radio SRF2, research magazine «Horizons»
Conference 2023
Right to scientific knowledge
Under the title «human right to science», a global discussion is taking place on the right of people to scientific knowledge and its applications. As early as 2015, the Academies organised an international conference on this topic, using the example of seed research and policy.
Conference 2015
Presentations: Keynote by Farida Shaheed (UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights), abstracts of the other contributions
Media coverage: Radio SRF2, research magazine «Horizons»
Further documents
«The right to science», talk by Martina Caroni (Human Rights Delegate a+ 2017-24), University of Zurich, 23.10.2018
«Human Rights and Science», special edition of the European Journal of Human Rights (2015), ed. by Samantha Besson (Human Rights Delegate a+ 2013-16)
Responsibility in international research
International research can be confronted with difficult contexts, e.g. when it takes place in countries with corrupt political structures, when collaborating on projects with dubious funding or with researchers in countries that are subject to international sanctions. In 2016, the Academies organised a workshop to address the responsibility of researchers in such or similar contexts on the basis of specific case studies.
Workshop 2016
Presentations: Jean-Luc Barras, Barbara Becker, Véronique Planchamp, Jakob Zinsstag, Heinzpeter Znoj
Media coverage: Radio SRF2