SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal description
«While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment under the Millennium Development Goals (including equal access to primary education between girls and boys), women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.»
Swiss target 5.1: Men and women are equal. Equality for women and men is guaranteed at the workplace, in education, politics and the family. The law ensures not just formal but also real equality.
SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal description
« […] In too many places, having a job doesn’t guarantee the ability to escape from poverty. […] Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the economy while not harming the environment. Job opportunities and decent working conditions are also required for the whole working age population. »
Swiss target 8.5(b): The labour market participation of women and their volume of work are increasing. Women and men are economically independent and have independent social security cover throughout their entire lives. Wage inequality is abolished and the pension gap between women and men is closing.
Significance of the indicator
The indicator shows the pay gap (explained and unexplained parts) between men and women in the private sector. Women and men have the right to equal pay for equal work. A narrowing of the gender pay gap, is therefore, a step towards sustainable development.
Help for interpretation
This gap can be explained in part by the over-representation of women in low-paid jobs and by a lower level of education, in particular among women of a certain age. In addition to these two factors are part-time work and career breaks for family reasons, which may have a negative impact on the years of service in a company.
International comparability
Eurostat publishes a similar indicator, calculated on the basis of average pay.
Tables
Methodology
This indicator shows the pay gap between men and women expressed in relation to men's pay. It is calculated on the basis of the standardised (median) gross monthly salary in the private sector. Data come from the Swiss Earnings Structure Survey, conducted every two years by the Federal Statistical Office.
Targets
Swiss target 5.1: Men and women are equal. Equality for women and men is guaranteed at the workplace, in education, politics and the family. The law ensures not just formal but also real equality.
Swiss target 8.5(b): The labour market participation of women and their volume of work are increasing. Women and men are economically independent and have independent social security cover throughout their entire lives. Wage inequality is abolished and the pension gap between women and men is closing.
International target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere
International target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
Contact
Federal Statistical Office Section Environment, Sustainable Development, TerritoryEspace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
- Tel.
- +41 58 460 58 46
Monday - Friday:
09.00 - 12.00 / 14.00 - 16.00