Women play a key role in poverty reduction and food security in both rural and urban contexts. The SDC supports women in obtaining access to natural resources, vocational education and training, and markets, as well as other services.
Women play a key role in poverty reduction and food security in both rural and urban contexts. The SDC supports women in obtaining access to natural resources, vocational education and training, and markets, as well as other services.
The SDC is committed to empowering women in the area of food security. In its projects and strategies, the SDC sets the following priorities:
Women play a key role in poverty reduction and food security, because they are very active in agricultural production and rural economies. However, in many countries they face social and legal discrimination and have only limited access to land ownership and user rights, means of production, vocational education and training, and financial services.
In rural economies, most women work on family farms or in the informal sector, where the combination of long hours but low productivity generates only a low income. Women often work in low-income sectors, such as the textile industry, and under precarious working conditions. Their potential to contribute to food security, economic security, and development is not fully exploited.
Studies show the following two decisive factors for structural discrimination against women in economic development:
1. multiple forms of discrimination based on religious, social, or ethnic affiliation
2. the burden of unpaid household and care work, dictated by social norms and entrenched gender roles that are mostly carried out by women.
These factors reduce the opportunities for women to complete an education or pursue productive and paid work. They also limit access to social welfare systems, which is usually only available in the formal job sector and with a fixed income.
01.01.2024
- 31.12.2027
Gender-based violence is prevalent in Nepal because of patriarchal values, lack of rights awareness or support services and poor implementation of laws. In the first phase, the project will directly reach 50,000 households in three districts with GBV prevention activities involving women, girls, men and boys and will provide improved medical, psychosocial and legal services for a minimum of 1’000 GBV survivors. Subsequently, the coverage will be increased.
31.12.2023
- 31.03.2031
La Suisse s’engage au Mali pour une participation plus significative des femmes dans le processus de paix. Par l’intermédiaire de ONU-Femmes, les soutiens directs à des initiatives de la société civile malienne seront complétés par la réalisation du Plan d’Action National pour la mise en œuvre de la Résolution 1325 de l’ONU, concernant la participation de femmes dans les processus de paix et les garanties de sécurité. Le programme contribue ainsi à la stabilisation de la sous-région
01.07.2021
- 31.12.2024
Gender inequalities persist and are a major barrier for poverty reduction and sustainable inclusive development. SDC supports the International Women’s Rights Action Watch (IWRAW) Asia Pacific, a non-governmental organisation working nationally, regionally, and globally towards the achievement of women's human rights, especially through the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) mechanism.
01.03.2021
- 28.02.2024
The SYP program contributes to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of young people, thus reducing gender based health inequities. It supports the adoption, domestication and implementation of policies, and strengthens young people’s competencies on and access to SRHR services. The expansion to Tanzania and Rwanda leverages on the experience in Southern Africa financed by SDC, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s thematic expertise and convening power.
01.11.2020
- 31.10.2025
More health workers with the right skills are needed to achieve the SDGs, particularly in low income countries. Switzerland contributes to a joint WHO, ILO and OECD program providing catalytic support to governments, social partners and other key stakeholders to develop, finance and implement national health workforce strategies and investment plans. This will improve the supply and employment of health workers, maximise their performance, create decent jobs and accelerate progress towards UHC.
01.10.2020
- 30.09.2024
This contribution aims at improving economic empowerment and resilience of women dairy producers in Abkhazia and Samegrelo. The protracted conflict in Abkhazia impedes socio-economic development, leading to high poverty and vulnerability to external shocks, as COVID-19. Women are particularly vulnerable, as they are also victims of gender-based discrimination and domestic violence. Farmer Field Schools will empower women by enhancing their technical and leadership skills.
21.08.2020
- 31.12.2021
The increase in migrants and refugees residing in Egypt, coupled with shrinking humanitarian funding are leaving many at protection risk. With new challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the protection risks have risen and needs are exacerbated. This project will respond to the immediate protection needs of refugees and migrants by providing a comprehensive package of gender sensitive emergency protection services in Greater Cairo, with a special focus on women and children at risk.
01.08.2020
- 31.07.2023
15.06.2020
- 30.06.2023
Decent work and income security for women is the objective of Switzerland’s contribution to the joint ILO/UN Women programme. It will bring gender into the focus of macro-level and national policy planning, helping to translate global research into national action. Switzerland supports this systemic approach as it strengthens the economic independence of women and men. Switzerland provides direct channels to link the international policy dialogue in Geneva with countries in the global South.
01.05.2020
- 31.03.2024
The Project will enhance community governance in BiH by empowering local communities (MZs) as modern and effective structures for pro-active citizens’ participation. A new functional and organizational set up of MZs in BiH will be created and standardized countrywide. In turn, women and men will benefit from more people-centred local service delivery, better accountability and transparency of municipalities.
01.05.2020
- 31.12.2022
SDC up-scales the “Women and Girls First” program of its priority partner UN Population Fund in southern Shan, where no other donor is present. The program strengthens government, civil society and ethnic health providers’ systems to be responsive to the needs of young people related to sexual reproductive health and rights. It improves access to comprehensive gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support services, and enhances social cohesion.
01.02.2020
- 31.01.2022
South Kordofan is one of the areas in Sudan were the armed conflict is temporarily halted, but not yet solved, and many communities are still suffering from its consequences. These communities are hosting significant numbers of IDPs and refugees from war torn South Sudan, who share the very limited available resources. The project aims at increasing the resilience of female and male members of vulnerable households to economic, social and climate related shocks through improved access to gender responsive basic services and increased agricultural production.