Policy Context

Switzerland’s 2021-2024 Development Cooperation Strategy mentions gender equality in the context of its priority on promoting peace and the rule of law. However, the strategy does not provide information on priorities within gender or funding targets. The SDC highlights four areas of Swiss international gender policy, namely:

• Gender and women’s rights in conflict situations and fragile contexts;
• Strengthening women’s political participation;
• Access to resources, education and income; and
• Instruments for gender mainstreaming.

Additionally, promoting child and maternal health, as well as SRHR in partner countries are listed among the 11 action areas in the Swiss Health Foreign Policy. The SDC is a key stakeholder in gender equality in development cooperation.

ODA Spending

How much ODA does Switzerland allocate to gender equality?

In 2021, 64% of Switzerland’s ODA supported projects related to gender equality, well above the DAC average of 42%. Switzerland ranked 10^th among DAC donors for total gender equality funding, and ranked 6^th for gender funding as a percentage of bilateral allocable ODA. However, Switzerland’s share of ODA targeting gender equality as a principal goal of 4% is below the DAC average of 6%.

How is Switzerland's gender equality ODA changing?

Switzerland’s ODA for gender equality more than doubled between 2017-2021. The increase was largely driven by an increase in gender-significant funding for projects in which gender equality is an important and deliberate goal but not the main objective.

Multilateral Spending

In 2021, Switzerland contributed US$18 million each to UN Women and UNFPA.