gisw13_chapters

Action stepsSwitzerland has ratified the UN Convention on Economic,Social and Cultural Rights as well as theConvention on Civil and Political Rights. In 1997the country finally ratified the Convention on theElimination of All Forms of Discrimination againstWomen (CEDAW) and in doing so took on all relatedresponsibilities and obligations. The Federal Officefor Gender Equality (FOGE) published an action planin 1999 in line with the Fourth UN Conference onWomen in Beijing (1995) which is still far from beingimplemented. 18 A national NGO group is callingfor its recommendations to be made binding and forthe introduction of appropriate control instrumentsto enforce gender mainstreaming. 19 In its third report,the FOGE made comprehensive assessmentsof the situation and listed various needs for furtherimplementation. 20Further action steps necessary include theimprovement of transparency of salary systemsto bridge the gender pay gap and to strengthenmonitoring in the private sector. Moreover, effectiveenforcement of legal prescriptions to guaranteegender equality in leadership positions accordingto employment shares is needed. Systematic andsustainable efforts have to be made in the country’seducation system and incentives offered to increasethe share of girls and women in ICTs and relatedprofessions. 21As in other European countries, pension systemsfor a high share of women who devoted manyyears to child and house care need to be betterbalanced. In 1997 regulations for the splitting ofpensions were introduced in the country. On theother hand, the retirement age for women was increasedfrom 62 to 64 years, which is still muchcontested and perceived as inappropriate withoutrelated compensations.When fundamental rights enshrined in the country’sconstitution and related laws are not respectedand properly granted over years, public authoritiesneed to improve monitoring mechanisms and mustdevelop effective instruments for legal enforcement.The provision of fundamental rights is not aself-service store where anybody can avail themselvesat their convenience. ■18 Gleichstellung von Frau und Mann, Aktionsplan der Schweiz,Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE), June 1999. www.humanrights.ch/upload/pdf/070326_aktionsplan.pdf19 www.humanrights.ch/de/Themendossiers/Gleichstellung/Frauenrechte-Schweiz/index.html20 Dritter Bericht der Schweiz über die Umsetzung desÜbereinkommens zur Beseitigung jeder Form von Diskriminierungder Frau (CEDAW), April 2008. www.eda.admin.ch/etc/medialib/downloads/edazen/topics/intla/cintla.Par.0041.File.tmp/CEDAW_Bericht_10_04_08_Internet.pdf21 Publikationen zu International/Umsetzung in der Schweiz, FederalOffice for Gender Equality (FOGE), August 2013. www.ebg.admin.ch/dokumentation/00012/00198/index.html?lang=de217 / Global Information Society Watch