Gender equality in all areas of life
The Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) promotes gender equality. Its central objectives are equality in the workplace, the elimination of violence against women and domestic violence and the equality of LGBTIQ persons. The FOGE is also responsible for coordinating the gender equality strategy 2030, the first national strategy for equality in all areas of life.
News
Sexual harassment in the workplace
The information material on sexual harassment in the workplace published by the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has been updated.
National campaign “Equality prevents violence”
On 11 November 2025, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider launched a national prevention campaign against violence. The campaign “Equality prevents violence” was developed by the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) with the support of a broad alliance of government bodies and NGOs. It will be repeated in the years to come.
New pages on the Charter for equal pay in the public sector
New content highlights the results of the Charter's monitoring, current priorities and inspiring projects that have been developed.
Council of Europe evaluates Switzerland's progress in combating violence against women and domestic violence
The Council of Europe's independent Group of Experts on Action against Vio-lence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) will pay its second country visit to Switzerland from 9 to 13 March 2026. GREVIO will review how Switzerland is implementing the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Con-vention). The review will be based on Switzerland's second state report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, which was adopted by the Federal Council on 26 September 2025.
Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will represent Switzerland at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York
On 9 March 2026, the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will open in New York. Under the theme of access to justice for all women and girls, this year’s session will focus on promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems. The Swiss delegation will be led by Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Minister for Gender Equality.
Federal Council adopts first national action plan to combat hate crime against LGBTIQ persons
The Federal Council is committed to better protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons against hate crimes and violence. To this end, it adopted the first National Action Plan at its meeting on 28 January 2026. The plan has three scopes of action: support and protection for victims, prevention of hate crime, and monitoring acts of violence.
Discover the FOGE
Equality in the workplace
The Gender Equality Act prohibits discrimination in the workplace. Employers are obliged to pay equal pay for work of equal value and to protect employees from harassment. The Confederation is committed to furthering gender equality in the workplace through various measures.
Violence against women and domestic violence
Violence takes many forms and can affect anyone. Almost half of all violent crimes happen at home, in marriages, in partnerships and in families. Domestic violence can also affect men. However, it is more often directed against women. The same is true with regard to sexual harassment.
Equality of LGBTIQ persons
In Switzerland, the equality of LGBTIQ persons before the law has improved in recent years: The scope of penal provisions against discrimination and incitement to hatred on grounds of sexual orientation has been extended, and it has become easier to register a different gender at the civil registry office, and marriage for same-sex couples has been introduced. Nevertheless, LGBTIQ persons continue to face disadvantages in different areas of life.
Promoting equal pay with Logib
Equal pay is key to achieving equality in working life and is an important element of good governance. A transparent pay system and equal pay analysis help employers to promote and implement equal pay within their sphere of influence.
Promotion of projects with financial aid
The Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) offers financial aid to promote innovative projects in the areas of gender equality in the workplace, the prevention of violence against women and the prevention of domestic violence.
About the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE)
The FOGE promotes gender equality in all areas of life and is committed to eliminating discrimination.
Stay informed with our newsletter
We regularly publish newsletters on various topics (gender equality policy issues, financial aid for equality in the workplace, financial aid for violence prevention, information sheets on violence and equal pay).