Country Profiles
Switzerland
Context
Switzerland considers sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to be a key factor for a person’s social, economic and health-related development and promotes SRHR for all, which includes empowering women, men and young people. Switzerland works through specific programmes and its active participation in international organisations to improve sexual and reproductive health, and support the health of mothers, infants and young children. For example, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) supports UNAIDS, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and the sexual and reproductive health research programmes of several UN agencies and the World Bank. It is also represented in the executive councils of such decision-making bodies as UNAIDS and the UNFPA.
Policies & funding
After the Swiss elections in October 2023, two new policy documents have been published, which are important for the promotion of SRHR in the context of international cooperation. First of all, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs published in February 2024 the new Foreign Policy Strategy 2024-2027. This provides the central guidelines for Switzerland’s foreign policy for the new legislative period. The Swiss Foreign Policy Strategy is a policy document connected to the Swiss Strategy on International Cooperation for the years 2025 to 2028, which has been presented by the Federal Council in May 2024, and has been adopted by both chambers of Parliament in December. It defines the goals and priorities for development and economic cooperation, humanitarian aid and the promotion of peace and human rights. Health is a new priority both in the Foreign Policy Strategy 2024-2027 and the Strategy on International Cooperation 2025-2028 and the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights are part of it.
The engagement of the SDC over the next decade will furthermore follow the Health guidance 2022-2030. This provides an institutional framework to guide SDC’s engagement in health at country, regional and global level. It defines focus orientations of SDC bilateral cooperation programmes, humanitarian action and global initiatives in health and serves as a reference document for SDC, its partner organisations and the wider public.The SDC identifies here two focus areas of work: 1. Advancing Universal Health Coverage and 2. Addressing the Determinants of Health. Focus 1 “Advancing UHC” includes interventions for strengthening health systems to better respond to public health challenges including maternal and child health and SRHR. In emergency situations, interventions targeting sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) remain key priorities. Increasing domestic resources for health is another planned intervention among others. In focus 2, “Addressing the Determinants of Health”, specific interventions in the area education and social inclusion are listed.
In 2023, Swiss official development assistance (ODA) totaled 4.775 million Euros (4,640 million CHF), 357 million Euros (347 million CHF) more than in the previous year. As a proportion of gross national income (GNI), Switzerland’s ODA increased to 0.6%, while it was 0.56% in 2022. However, the increase compared to the previous year is mainly due to expenses related to the war in Ukraine and in particular to the costs incurred by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) for persons in need of protection without a residence permit in Switzerland (S status).
The new Swiss Strategy on International Cooperation (IC) 2025-2028 proposed for a budget of 11.6 billion Euros (11.27 billion CHF) over four years. However, in December the Swiss Parliament enforced, after long debates, cuts of about 155 million Euros , or 151 million Swiss Francs. In spite of warnings of civil society organisations and experts the parliament decided to increase military spending at the cost of the IC budget.
Internationally vocal
Switzerland supports the advancement of SRHR at the international level, for example, in negotiations for multilateral resolutions. Switzerland has been vocal on SRHR in the Agenda 2030 process and the run-up to SDG 3 and 5. The country is also active in defending and advancing SRHR in UN bodies such as the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the UN Commission on Population and Development.
