Women's Human Rights app: Switzerland presents its digital tool for women's rights

Promoting women's rights and gender equality are priorities of Swiss foreign policy. Switzerland is committed to the protection of women and girls against violence and discrimination, and to their economic and political empowerment, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels. To this end, in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies (ICFG) at the University of Bern, the FDFA has created, updated and now further developed the W'sHR app. The app provides quick and easy access to all relevant UN legal texts in the field of women's rights and gender equality.

Launch of new version on International Women's Day

The new version of the W'sHR app was launched in New York on 8 March, International Women's Day. In the presence of the UN secretary-general and the president of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, the head of the Swiss mission in New York, Pascale Baeriswyl, presented the app to an audience of high-level diplomats. The launch also coincides with the negotiations on the Agreed Conclusions document of the 65th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). In this context, the new version of the W'sHR app will be used for the first time to facilitate delegates' work on the extensive texts involved. 

 
Building bridges with facts

Joint drafting of texts and the achievement of consensus are central to properly functioning multilateralism. This is where Switzerland's W'sHR app is useful: it makes it easier for negotiating parties to access relevant texts and thus contributes to efficient negotiations.

The app contains 147 keywords and is constantly being expanded. For each term, the app includes a summary, the relevant legal basis, and the language adopted by consensus at the UN. This makes the app a unique database and an innovative tool that strengthens normative standards in the fields of women's rights and gender equality.

The app has potential for use in other contexts as well. Researchers, representatives of civil society, legal experts, the media and UN staff can all use this digital database to research women's rights and gender issues and easily access documents.

Further information:

Women’s Human Rights App
FDFA strategy on gender equality and women's rights
Switzerland's Digital Foreign Policy Strategy 2021–24
SDC – Gender equality
Twitter account of Switzerland at the United Nations

Address for enquiries:

FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs