Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider co-chairs the first OECD Forum on Gender Equality in Paris
Bern, 11.06.2024 - Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will co-chair the first Forum on Gender Equality held by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris on Tuesday, 11 June. The forum will focus on advancing gender equality amid green, energy and digital transitions. Switzerland will seek to emphasise the role of gender-sensitive data collection and digital tools in promoting gender equality.
Along with France, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the US, Switzerland is co-chairing the first OECD Forum on Gender Equality. Under the motto ‘Navigating global transitions’, the forum brings together high-ranking representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society and academia. With around 1,000 participants present in person and online, the forum is attracting a great deal of interest. It will focus on climate, energy, digital technologies and their gender-specific impact.
Alongside OECD Deputy Secretary-General Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, Ms Baume-Schneider will give the closing speech at the forum and present the co-chair's summary. She will also attend a number of meetings with ministers from OECD member states, as well as Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Executive Director of UN Women, on the fringes of the event.
Government instruments for equality
On Tuesday afternoon, Ms Baume-Schneider will introduce a panel discussion on the value of tools and in particular the importance of collecting data disaggregated by gender for governments to promote gender equality. It will be in particular an opportunity to share the range of measures and instruments developed by Switzerland to strengthen the economic autonomy of women and increase their involvement in decision-making processes. Ms Baume-Schneider will also present the 2030 Gender Equality Strategy adopted by the Federal Council in 2021.
A key instrument in Switzerland is Logib, an equal pay analysis tool for businesses developed by the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE). Ms Baume-Schneider will also mention the equal pay controls carried out using Logib in the public procurement.
A further topic of discussion will be the new guidelines for improving the data situation on gender effects and gender-specific differences in federal studies and statistics, which were adopted by the Federal Council at the beginning of this year. To ensure evidence-based public policy, it is essential to have solid gender-disaggregated data in all areas, including on environmental, energy and digital issues.
The forum runs from 10 to 11 June and is organised by the OECD and the Working Party on Gender Mainstreaming and Governance (GMG). The latter is chaired by FOGE director Sylvie Durrer until the end of 2024.
Address for enquiries
Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE), media@ebg.admin.ch, +41 58 464 68 23
Publisher
Federal Department of Home Affairs
http://www.edi.admin.ch
Federal Office for Gender Equality
https://www.ebg.admin.ch/en
