Woman and man

Gleichstellungspolitik bedeutet gleiche Rechte und Chancen für alle. In Liechtenstein ist Gleichstellung zwar gesetzlich weitgehend erreicht. Es gibt jedoch weiterhin Unterschiede bei den zugeschriebenen Interessen, Fähigkeiten und Rollen. Diese Unterschiede beeinflussen auch heute noch die wirtschaftliche Stellung und Verantwortung für Haus- und Familienarbeit.

Formal unterstützt das Gleichstellungsgesetz (GLG) von 1999 die Gleichstellung in der Arbeitswelt sowie beim Zugang zu Gütern und Dienstleistungen. Dabei gilt insbesondere das Gebot der Nicht-Diskriminierung aufgrund des Geschlechts. Seit 1996 gilt darüber hinaus die UN-Frauenrechtskonvention (CEDAW) in Liechtenstein.

Für die tatsächliche Gleichstellung zwischen den Geschlechtern braucht es jedoch weiterhin staatliche Massnahmen sowie Strukturen mit ausreichenden Ressourcen für deren Umsetzung und Überwachung. Dafür empfiehlt der VMR eine staatliche Gleichstellungsstrategie mit dem Abbau von Rollenstereotypen, einer Geschlechtergerechte Vertretung in politischen Gremien, dem Schutz vor Gewalt und einer Förderung der Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf. Seit 2022 organisiert der VMR den Runden Tisch Gleichstellung, um aktuelle Themen mit NGOs und Behörden zu diskutieren.

To combat violence against women and domestic violence, a sustainable strategy and a national action plan based on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence(Istanbul Convention) is required. According to the Information and Advice Centre for Women (infra) and the Liechtenstein Women's Shelter, the strategy should include the establishment of a recognized and low-threshold violence protection and intervention centre.

Women also need protection against sexual harassment and bullying. Special consideration must be given to the protection of vulnerable groups of women, such as migrant women or women with disabilities.

The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...

... provide more resources and a national strategy for the protection against violence to implement the Istanbul Convention. Revise the procedure for removal and prohibition of entry in cases of domestic violence. Carry out broad-based further training on the Istanbul Convention for the judiciary, police and governmental and non-governmental specialist agencies.

Reconciling family and career is a challenge for both women and men. Traditional role models often lead to multiple burdens for women and make it difficult to achieve a balanced division of tasks. Part-time work or part-time management positions are difficult to implement for women and are not socially accepted for men.

The central prerequisites for a balanced division of gainful employment and family work or a better reconciliation of family and employment for both women and men are a concrete gender mainstreaming policy, the elimination of stereotypes and the softening of traditional role models. Paid parental leave and the affordability of childcare facilities are particularly necessary for economically weaker families.

In addition, women still earn less than men. Only part of this pay gap can be explained objectively. According to the Liechtenstein Employees' Association (LANV), two-fifths of it cannot be explained and is therefore discriminatory.

The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...

... carry out a statistical survey of care work and its distribution.

At a national level, women's voting rights were only introduced in 1984, although women in individual municipalities were able to vote from as early as 1976. Even today, women are still underrepresented in Liechtenstein politics

The proportion of women in parliament, government and at local level (municipal council) is considered an indicator of gender equality in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. In Liechtenstein, this indicates a rather low level of willingness in society to allow women to be represented and to participate in decision-making and political power. The appropriate representation of women in parliament and municipal councils, on the other hand, would promote the inclusion of the gender perspective in political decisions, which is of great importance for the realization of gender equality.

The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...

... integrate the successful measures of the "Diversity in Politics" project for the balanced representation of women and men in political bodies into the national gender equality strategy.

There are no surveys on abortions in Liechtenstein. The Criminal Code (§§ 96-98a StGB) prohibits abortions with up to three years imprisonment, but permits them under strict conditions, for example if the pregnant woman's life is in danger, if she has been raped or if the pregnant woman was underage. A ban on information (§ 98a) prevents comprehensive counseling and the establishment of safe structures. There is also a lack of a state counseling center. UN committees have been calling for the decriminalization of abortion, better access to safe interventions and the abolition of the information ban for years, but Liechtenstein has not yet implemented these recommendations.

The VMR recommends: Liechtenstein should...

... decriminalize abortion and provide access to safe abortion and aftercare services for women and girls. Abolish the information ban on abortion.