A/HRC/45/15/Add.1 children as the legal standard following the divorce of the parents as well as for unmarried parents, in 2014. 47. Provisions relating to gender equality and women’s rights are included in the legislative plan for 2019–2023 and the annual objectives of the Federal Council; the Sustainable Development Strategy for 2016–2019; and the Foreign Policy Strategy for 2016–2019. The main institution in charge is the Federal Office for Gender Equality, the responsibilities of which are outlined in the Gender Equality Act. The Office operates within the federal administration as a centre of recognized expertise on matters of equality, works at the policy level and seeks structural changes. The Office does not act at the individual level, but rather works with a wide range of stakeholders: other federal agencies, gender equality offices, men’s and women’s organizations, social partners and companies. 48. Gender Equality Delegate offices have been established by most cantons and some municipalities. They deal primarily with issues such as violence against women, equality in the labour market and in education, reconciling work and private life, and the integration of immigrant women, advising individuals as well as acting at the policy level. There are currently 23 gender equality offices at the federal, cantonal and municipal levels. Civil society organizations have, however, raised concerns that various institutions that promote gender equality at the national or cantonal level have been downgraded or even disbanded and that the Federal Office for Gender Equality is not sufficiently funded. 49. Another key institution is the Federal Commission for Women’s Issues. As an extraparliamentary permanent commission, its role is to address current gender equality issues and advise the federal Government, with a focus on women’s participation and equal representation in politics and the economy. 50. The information the Special Rapporteur received regarding the employment situation of women in Switzerland revealed an absence of equality. 27 About 88 per cent of men and 80 per cent of women are employed or looking for a job. In 2017, almost 45 per cent of all women employed in Switzerland, compared with only 11.2 per cent of men, worked 30 hours or less per week. 28 Civil society organizations have raised concerns regarding professional segregation, either horizontal (between professions) or vertical (within a particular profession), maintaining that women are underrepresented at the managerial level and overrepresented in low-skilled, low-income jobs. 51. The participation of women in decision-making in business in Switzerland is another area where improvement is needed. In the 100 largest companies in Switzerland, only 9 per cent of the executive board members are female and 51 per cent of these companies do not have a single female on their executive board; only 21 per cent of the members of boards of directors in these companies were women. Both chambers of the federal parliament accepted a legislative draft in June 2019 establishing a 30 per cent benchmark for women membership in boards of directors and a 20 per cent benchmark for executive boards, to be achieved by 2030. Companies are required to comply or explain the absence of compliance. It remains to be seen whether the draft will be adopted and whether the measures provided for will offer sufficient incentives to improve the situation. 52. The gender pay gap remains considerable: in 2016, women’s salaries were, on average, SwF 1,455 per month less than those of men. About 56 per cent of the difference could be explained by objective factors such as professional status, years of experience or levels of qualifications. However, about 44 per cent of the pay gap remained unexplained and might be a result of gender-related pay discrimination. Even though the pay gap has 27 28 The information in paragraphs 49 to 53 is taken largely from the presentation made by the Director of the Federal Office for Gender Equality in Bern on 24 September 2019, entitled “Gender equality in Switzerland: exchange with Special Rapporteur on the right to development”. Statistics from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, cited at www.swissinfo.ch/eng/mind-the-gap_inequality-in-the-swiss-workplace--by-the-numbers/44809274. 11