Public Eye

Public Eye is a sustainability-oriented, politically and religiously independent solidarity development non-governmental organisation based in Switzerland. Public Eye notably encourages Swiss politics and business to respect human rights and the environment in poor countries. History and orientation Erklärung von Bern, literally Berne Declaration, was founded in 1968 by the merger of signatories to a manifesto on “Switzerland and the Developing Countries“ by a group of theologians, which objected to the growing differences in prosperity between the so-called first world and the third world. One thousand people signed the consequently called Erklärung von Bern, meaning declaration of Bern, and among other things declared to contribute 3% of their income towards development cooperation. On 6 January 1969 the manifesto was presented to the Swiss Federal Council. In 1971, the movement was constituted into an association. EvB was since the 1970s financially worn from their then about 18,000 members, and is also financed by donations, legacies and the contribututions by volunteers. EvB operates also secretariats in Zürich and Lausanne. As of 2012, EvB was supported nationwide by 23,500 members and is mainly financed by membership dues and donations. At the annual general assembly in 2012, the linguistic regional branches with their individual chairmen were amalgamated into one overall national organization. As of 2016, the NGO is supported by over 25,000 members.