Recently, Switzerland’s Federal Council voiced its opposition to an initiative to create universal paid leave for the fathers of newborns, according to the newspaper Le Matin. The initiative, which aims to introduce 20 days of paid paternity leave and which collected the required number of signatures to go ahead in 2017, has encountered further resistance in Bern. […]
Lausanne to restrict child care places to working parents
Finding day care for young children can be difficult in Switzerland. In Lausanne it has been difficult for many years. The challenge doesn’t disappear when children go to school either. In Switzerland, schools close at lunchtime and children are the responsibility of parents, a system that works when one parent works and the other stays […]
Swiss discuss banning young drivers from roads at night
Nights, particularly weekend nights, are when most accidents involving young drivers occur. Between 2013 and 2017, 2,267 young adults between 18 and 24 were seriously injured on Swiss roads and an average of 32 were killed annually, around 14% of Switzerland’s total road deaths. Because driving reflexes are less internalized among inexperienced drivers, distractions, such […]
Swiss politicians call for fines for those who don’t vaccinate
The recent rise in the number of cases of measles, a disease which is easily prevented by vaccination, has led some Swiss politicians to call for compulsory vaccination, and fines for those avoiding them, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. Switzerland’s system of collective compulsory health insurance means the costs of the actions of individuals […]
Switzerland makes some progress on child obesity
Last year, the percentage of children aged 8 to 12 in Switzerland that were obese or overweight fell to 19.3% during the 2017/2018 school year, the lowest it has been in over ten years, according to Promotion Santé Suisse. The number of overweight or obese school children in Switzerland rises with age. During the 2017/2018 […]
The number of disruptive kids rising in Swiss schools
The number of children between the ages of 4 and 8 disrupting classes and making life difficult for teachers in Switzerland is rising, according to a survey run by the newspaper SonntagsZeitung and reported in 20 Minutes. These difficult children were identified as the main source of stress for school staff. Younger children seem to […]
Over 40% of 14 and 15 year old smokers in Switzerland buy their own cigarettes
A recently published study shows that 41.4% of 14 and 15 year old smokers in Switzerland have already bought their own cigarettes from a shop, supermarket, kiosque, bar, restaurant or vending machine. The rate was higher in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland (45.0%) than in German-speaking Switzerland (39.4%), and higher for boys (45.2%) than for girls […]
Swiss government agrees on bigger tax deductions for childcare
Switzerland’s parliament recently decided to increase the amount of childcare costs that can be deducted from taxable income. Parliament voted 131 to 48, with 14 abstentions, to increase the maximum annual childcare deduction from CHF 10,100 per child to CHF 25,000 when calculating federal taxes, according to RTS. Childcare in Switzerland is expensive. According to […]
Global Geneva launches young journalists and writers competition
The Geneva-based magazine Global Geneva is running a writing competition for young writers (14 to 19 year olds). A total of 2,450 francs of prize money will be awarded to the best entries – 1st 1,200 francs, 2nd 750 francs, 3rd 500 francs. To enter, write a compelling article or short story (1,000 words) on […]
International Women’s Day – discontent with Switzerland’s childcare system
Since 1911, when people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland came out in support of equal rights, 8 March has been International Women’s Day. A survey by Ispos on the event’s website gives insights into attitudes towards gender equality around the world. Some areas, like whether it’s easier to be a man, are controversial and show […]
