Over the past 30 years, the percentage of young women and men in the Swiss labour market has become much closer, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
This content was published on
1 minute
RTS/jc
Italiano
it
Le donne stanno recuperando terreno rispetto agli uomini nel mercato del lavoro
Taking all ages together, 79.6% of working age women (15 to 64) were in the labour market (working or looking for a job) last year, compared with only 68.2% in 1991, says the FSO report published on Thursday. Last year the activity rate of men the same age was still higher at 87.4% than that of women, but this has fallen from 91.1% in 1991.
More women are participating in the labour market particularly in the 25-to-39 age group. This indicator rose from 72.3% in 1991 to 87.3% last year.
This can be explained by better reconciliation of work and family life, but also the fact that mothers are having their first child later, says the FSO. Level of education is also a factor.
Over the past 30 years, the rise in female employment has been concentrated not only in the 25-39 age group, but also in the 55-64 age group. In this second group, the evolution is partly explained by the increase in the legal retirement age for women from 62 to 64 (in two stages between 2001 and 2005).
The activity rate of women aged 55-64 was only 43.8% in 1991 but stood at 70.1% in 2022. For men in the same age group, this rate has fallen from 86.4% to 82.1% over the same period.
Despite this trend, many sectors in Switzerland remain conservative and the pay gap between men and women is still wide.
Popular Stories
More
Workplace Switzerland
Meet the foreigners who make up a quarter of the Swiss population
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
Switzerland edges closer to stricter screening of foreign investments
This content was published on
Foreign investors are set to face greater scrutiny in Switzerland as one parliamentary chamber passes the so-called Lex China bill.
Increase in animal testing in Switzerland last year
This content was published on
Almost 600,000 animals were used in animal experiments in Switzerland in 2023 - an increase of 1.6% compared to the previous year.
Beleaguered Swiss watch industry calls for political support
This content was published on
The Swiss watch industry is going through difficult times as global demand declines and the strong franc piles on the pressure.
This content was published on
Hollywood star Pamela Anderson will be honoured at the Zurich Film Festival for her career and role in the film The Last Showgirl.
Gender equality in workplace may take ‘three generations’
This content was published on
Women may have to wait more than 50 years to get equal access to top management posts, according to a Swiss university report.
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.