Maternity Protection
Switzerland ratifies the Maternity Protection Convention (No. 183)
Switzerland became the 29th member State to ratify this essential instrument for equality which guarantees protection for women workers during maternity
By depositing, on 4 June 2014 the instrument of ratification of the Maternity Protection Convention (No. 183) Switzerland became the 29th member State to ratify this essential instrument for equality which guarantees protection for women workers during maternity.
Upon transmitting the instrument of ratification, Mr Boris Zürcher, Secretary of State and head of the Swiss delegation at the 103rd session of the International Labour Conference, stated that “this new commitment to ILO standards is important, as it signifies Switzerland’s will to act on its commitment to optimal social conditions and to encourage women to enter the labour market”.
Upon receiving the instrument of ratification, the Secretary-General of the Conference stated that “by ratifying the most advanced international standard on the subject, Switzerland recognizes the importance of maternity protection for equality between men and women in a world where more and more women carry out an occupational activity and where their contribution to the family income is rapidly rising”.
This ratification should reignite interest in maternity protection in order to guarantee all employed women adequate protection such as that established by Convention No. 183. Despite much progress having been achieved worldwide, the vast majority of women workers - or around 830 million people mainly in Asia and Africa – still do not benefit from adequate maternity protection. In addition, discrimination against women on grounds related to maternity and the need to guarantee the effective application of legislation in practice remain very widespread problems. Convention No. 183 aims precisely at establishing, at the international level, a reference for national maternity protection schemes and ILO actively promotes its ratification as one of the four core Conventions regarding gender equality along with the Equal Remuneration Convention (No. 100), the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (No. 111) and the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention (No. 156).
Upon transmitting the instrument of ratification, Mr Boris Zürcher, Secretary of State and head of the Swiss delegation at the 103rd session of the International Labour Conference, stated that “this new commitment to ILO standards is important, as it signifies Switzerland’s will to act on its commitment to optimal social conditions and to encourage women to enter the labour market”.
Upon receiving the instrument of ratification, the Secretary-General of the Conference stated that “by ratifying the most advanced international standard on the subject, Switzerland recognizes the importance of maternity protection for equality between men and women in a world where more and more women carry out an occupational activity and where their contribution to the family income is rapidly rising”.
This ratification should reignite interest in maternity protection in order to guarantee all employed women adequate protection such as that established by Convention No. 183. Despite much progress having been achieved worldwide, the vast majority of women workers - or around 830 million people mainly in Asia and Africa – still do not benefit from adequate maternity protection. In addition, discrimination against women on grounds related to maternity and the need to guarantee the effective application of legislation in practice remain very widespread problems. Convention No. 183 aims precisely at establishing, at the international level, a reference for national maternity protection schemes and ILO actively promotes its ratification as one of the four core Conventions regarding gender equality along with the Equal Remuneration Convention (No. 100), the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention (No. 111) and the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention (No. 156).