Federal Commission for Women's Issues FCWI
Address
Schwarztorstrasse 51
3003 Bern
http://www.ekf.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en
Contact person
Elisabeth Keller
Head of the secretariat
031 322 92 76
elisabeth dot keller at ebg dot admin dot ch
Operating range
- National
Relevant duties in the context of human rights
The commission
- informs the general public and raises awareness for the advancement of equal opportunities o participates in projects and campaigns
- makes recommendations against discrimination and for equal opportunities between women and men
- gives its opinions on draft laws
- cooperates with national and international organisations (NGOs, commissions, authorities at all levels, international conventions)
Main work in the human rights field
- Lobbying / Networking / Human rights policies
Protection of vulnerable groups
- Women
Issues our organisation works on
- Women’s rights / gender equality
International Reference
UN
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women(CEDAW)
Current projects with human rights focus
- Focus 2009: Implementation of the UN Convention on women’s rights CEDAW in Switzerland
- July 2009: Statement to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on the occasion of Switzerland’s presentation of its third state-report to the committee in New York.
- Conference for legal practitioners, march 5, 2009: «The Importance of the UN-Convention of women rights CEDAW for legal practice. Current questions and perspectives of action». In collaboration with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Directorate for International Law / Political Affairs Division IV Human Security.
- The FCWI gave its opinion on draft laws concerning Female genital mutilation (may 2009) and forced mariage (november 2008).
- Periodical «Frauenfragen / Questions au féminin / Questioni femminili» (Women's Issues): It is published biannually and includes articles in German, French and Italian. N. 1.2009 includes the papers of the conference of march 5, 2009.
Publications on human rights issues
- All publications are available in German and French. A selection of articles is available in Italian. See: