(The Swiss Info)
At this year’s session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Switzerland is focusing on equal pay, women’s economic independence, sexual and reproductive health rights, and the fight against discrimination and violence.
The main focus of the 65th CSW, which opened on Monday in New York, is the participation of women in decision-making in public life and the elimination of violence against women. Attending virtually, the Swiss delegation is led by Home Affairs Minister Alain Berset. This year, the updated Women’s Human Rights app (W’sHR app) – developed by Switzerland – will be available during negotiations on the agreed conclusions document.
“The coronavirus crisis has had a disproportionate impact on women, both in economic and social terms. Gains made in gender equality over the past few decades could be lost to this crisis. To prevent this from happening, the international community must make a firm commitment: every effort must be made to ensure that progress achieved over the past few years is not undone by the Covid-19 pandemic,” noted Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in a statementExternal link.
