Women play a key role in poverty reduction and food security in both rural and urban contexts. The SDC supports women in obtaining access to natural resources, vocational education and training, and markets, as well as other services.
Access to natural resources, education, and income
SDC focus
The SDC is committed to empowering women in the area of food security. In its projects and strategies, the SDC sets the following priorities:
- establishing gender equality in the context of access to resources with a particular focus on land governance
- strengthening the economic situation for women through improved value chains and access to vocational education and training, markets, and other services
- integrating gender-sensitive social welfare systems in rural economies.
Context
Women play a key role in poverty reduction and food security, because they are very active in agricultural production and rural economies. However, in many countries they face social and legal discrimination and have only limited access to land ownership and user rights, means of production, vocational education and training, and financial services.
In rural economies, most women work on family farms or in the informal sector, where the combination of long hours but low productivity generates only a low income. Women often work in low-income sectors, such as the textile industry, and under precarious working conditions. Their potential to contribute to food security, economic security, and development is not fully exploited.
Studies show the following two decisive factors for structural discrimination against women in economic development:
1. multiple forms of discrimination based on religious, social, or ethnic affiliation
2. the burden of unpaid household and care work, dictated by social norms and entrenched gender roles that are mostly carried out by women.
These factors reduce the opportunities for women to complete an education or pursue productive and paid work. They also limit access to social welfare systems, which is usually only available in the formal job sector and with a fixed income.
Links
Documents
Gender and Land Governance (2017)
Gender and Land – Implications for Sustainable Development (2014) (PDF, 28 Pages, 13.8 MB, English)
Added Value – Contributions to gender equitable economic development (2011) (PDF, 2.4 MB, English)
Gender and Unpaid Care Work (PDF, 9 Pages, 866.5 kB, English)
Measuring Women’s Economic Empowerment, OECD (PDF, 23 Pages, 1.0 MB, English)
Current projects
Selection
Response to Gender-Based Violence 25-29
01.01.2025
- 31.12.2029
In order to fight increasing gender-based violence (GBV) in humanitarian and conflict contexts, address the root causes in a sustainable way and to contribute to lasting change, Switzerland provides targeted, multi-year funding for GBV prevention and response, and invests in rights-based and survivor-centred projects of three key partners.
Core Contribution for Gender Equality & Health Alliance (GEH Alliance) 2025-2028
01.01.2025
- 31.12.2026
The GEH Alliance is dedicated to addressing gender inequality and improving access to health for women, children and youth, in particular those affected by intersectional discrimination. Its focus is on addressing social norms, discrimination and violence that adversely affect health and well-being, mainly in fragile and crisis affected contexts. Its expertise on sexual and reproductive health and rights, sexual and gender-based violence, health systems strengthening and inclusion is very relevant in light of the Swiss IC strategy 2025-28.
Core Contribution to Kooperationsgemeinschaft (KoGe) 2025-2028
01.01.2025
- 31.12.2026
KoGe is an umbrella organisation whose mandate is aligned with the SDG 16+ framework (peaceful, just and inclusive societies). With its faith-based member organisations of protestant background that are deeply anchored in the Swiss society, KoGe empowers disadvantaged people and provides improved food security, education and health. It also strengthens communities in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
Protecting children, women and youth affected by conflict through local actors in Borno State
01.12.2024
- 31.05.2027
The protracted conflict in North East Nigeria continues to expose vulnerable populations to multiple types of violence and abuse. This initiative implemented by local NGOs focuses on building community-based systems to prevent and respond to child protection and gender-based violence (GBV) risks. In line with SDC’s commitment to localization, this initiative will foster sustainable practices and local ownership to create a lasting impact for children, GBV survivors and their communities.
Rising Together - Building Resilient & Inclusive Communities through Women & Youth Empowerment
15.11.2024
- 14.11.2026
The project aims to address widespread Gender-Based violence against women and girls in both Rohingya refugee and host communities, as well as the need for skill development among youth, in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char. In partnership with UNFPA, Switzerland aims to improve protection services and provide training opportunities, thereby reinforcing its commitment to gender equality and social inclusion.
Nigeria, UNICEF, Improved access to quality reintegration services for children and women formerly associated with non-state armed groups in Northeast Nigeria.
01.11.2024
- 31.10.2026
Thousands of children and women have exited areas controlled by non-state armed groups in Northeast Nigeria since 2021. The project provides temporary shelter and basic services and longer-term socio-economic reintegration to this group of civilians and other vulnerable individuals through a package of multisectoral assistance. The successful and sustainable reintegration of these individuals is instrumental towards peacebuilding and complements ongoing Swiss work on peace and security.
Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF)
15.10.2024
- 31.12.2025
The contribution to the WPHF is to support women peacebuilders, humanitarians and human rights defenders working at the forefront of Women, Peace, Security and Humanitarian Action (WPS-HA) issues. The WPHF, managed by UN Women, provides funding to local civil society organizations for women’s participation and leadership in situations of conflict and humanitarian crisis, contributing to a nexus approach.
Women’s Economic Empowerment in the South Caucasus (WEE)
01.09.2024
- 31.08.2026
Switzerland has been successfully supporting women and their businesses in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan since 2017. In this final phase of the project, Switzerland aims to institutionalize gender-related policies at national and local levels, build the capacities of the governmental and non-governmental partners to continue promoting women's empowerment and encourage the private sector to support more women in the formal economy.
FAIRWAY - Interregional Programme to promote decent work for migrant workers from Africa to the Arab States
01.09.2024
- 31.05.2028
Decent work for low-income migrant workers in the Middle East is promoted, in sectors particularly prone to forced labor and exploitation, affecting increasingly African workers. Through improved services, access to justice and representation, migrant workers have their rights protected. Interregional and regional cooperation is promoted for improved labor migration governance and safe migration, thereby enhancing the development benefits for countries of origin and destination.
Gender Equality in Food Systems
01.08.2024
- 31.12.2027
Gender-based discrimination, or the denial of women’s rights, is one of the major causes of poverty and food insecurity. The support from SDC contributes to women’s economic empowerment and the sustainable and transformative change in their livelihoods. FAO, IFAD, WFP and UN Women together tackle the barriers to gender equality at global, regional and national levels, including through the uptake of the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls Empowerment.
République démocratique du Congo (RDC): Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation (TPO) Protection des enfants et des femmes
15.07.2024
- 30.06.2026
Les conflits armés à l’est de la RDC continuent à engendrer des violations graves des droits de l’enfant et de la femme, y compris les violences basées sur le genre, le recrutement forcé et le manque d’accès à l’éducation. Par le biais de mécanismes et structures communautaires et de gouvernance locale, ce projet vise à identifier les principaux problématiques de protection, y apporter une assistance et contribuer à leur résolution.
Strengthening Accountability for Gender Equality (SAGE) in Zimbabwe
15.07.2024
- 31.12.2028
Women’s and girls’ participation in Zimbabwe’s economic and political life is undermined by a number of factors, including high levels of Gender-Based Violence. With a favourable policy framework in place, Switzerland will support UN Women as key interlocutor to strengthen public accountability and oversight for gender equality and women’s rights, while Oxfam will lead community-level initiatives to reduce gender-based violence and empower women and girls economically, politically and socially.
