Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Equal rights and equal pay demanded for women

Women holding up panel calling for equal rights
The 2019 women's strike was one of the largest public protests in recent Swiss history. Keystone/Peter Schneider

A perceived lack of equal rights for women and men in Switzerland have been at the centre of a day of action.

OrganisersExternal link of the event on Tuesday said the political fight for equal pay and respect for women had made hardly any progress over the past three years.

The Unia trade unionExternal link also criticised a planned increase of the retirement age for women as part of a reform of the country’s old age pension system. The issue will come to a nationwide vote in September.

Campaigners also pointed out the more than 20,000 reported cases of domestic violence.

Street protests in cities and towns across Switzerland were organised to mark the anniversary of the 1981 vote on a constitutional article about equal rights for women and men.

A first nationwide strike was held on June 14, 1991, initiated by a group of female workers at a watchmaking factory in western Switzerland protesting about low salaries.

A second similar protest in 2019 was attended by an estimated 500,000 people, according to the Trade Union Federation.

Last year’s third event of its kind took place amid restrictions imposed because of the Covid pandemic. More than 100,000 people took place in the symbolic strike action.

Most Read
Swiss Abroad

Most Discussed

News

UNRWA provides emergency assistance to just over one million Palestine refugees, or about 75 per cent of all Palestine refugees in Gaza, who lack the financial means to cover their basic food.

More

Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

This content was published on The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.

Read more: Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza
Antibiotic use on the rise again in Switzerland

More

Rise in use of antibiotics in Switzerland

This content was published on The consumption of antibiotics has risen in Switzerland since the Covid-19 pandemic. However, compared to other European countries the Alpine country has one of the lowest levels of antibiotic usage.

Read more: Rise in use of antibiotics in Switzerland
Bolton: "Switzerland must join NATO, neutrality with no future"

More

John Bolton insists Switzerland should join NATO

This content was published on Switzerland should join NATO, as in the future it cannot rely on its long-standing tradition of neutrality for its defence, John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, declared in an interview on Sunday.

Read more: John Bolton insists Switzerland should join NATO
Russian opponents demonstrate in Geneva against the Putin regime

More

Russian Putin critics demonstrate in Switzerland

This content was published on A demonstration was held in Geneva on Sunday calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. Around 50 Russians took part in the gathering outside the UN building.

Read more: Russian Putin critics demonstrate in Switzerland

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR