After 4 Years, Switzerland’s Feminist Strike Returns

By Moe Shiojiri

June 14th, 1981 marks the day gender equality was enshrined into the Swiss constitution. However, more than 40 years later, women still earn approximately 20% less than men and account for 60% of unpaid work. Not to mention, one in five women are victims of sexual violence in Switzerland, revealing that the country falls behind its European neighbors. 

As such, the feminist strike returned on June 14th, 2023 for the third time since 1991. Over 300,000 individuals marched together across major cities in Switzerland, calling for fundamental rights from closing the gender pay gap to ending sexual harassment against women and LGBTQ+ people. There are several demands that the national strike focused on, as outlined by the Swiss Trade Union Federation:

Geneva’s feminist strike, organized by the Collectif de la Grève Féministe, included several events throughout the day such as musical performances and photo exhibitions. Among the symbolic moments was the collective cry at 15:24—the time when women begin working for free, due to the wage gap—in which protesters screamed for a minute in Plainpalais Square. 

17:30 marked the beginning of the march, with hundreds of individuals walking across Geneva with banners in hand, shouting slogans such as: 

The sheer magnitude of the feminist strike in Geneva, along with the different generations that united in solidarity—from babies in strollers to the elderly—truly illustrated the extent to which women are fed up with the deprivation of their fundamental rights. More than 40 years have passed since the 1981 vote, how much longer will women have to fight for? 

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